And often, that insight comes at a price: they’ve had one themselves, or they know someone who has. The toxic relationship quotes in this list come from people with hard-earned wisdom. And if you read some wise words from these people, you’re less likely to stay in a destructive relationship. Think of the following quotes as the words of a friend who loves you too much to keep silent.
What Is a Toxic Relationship?
In a healthy relationship, both partners treat each other with respect, empathy, and love. A toxic (i.e., unhealthy) one is characterized by conflict, competition, and the need (for one or both of you) to control the other. It’s a personal hell for at least one of you. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy to leave. Look for the following signs of a toxic relationship:
Denial and gaslighting to undermine your self-confidence Blaming you when you confront them for dishonest or hurtful behavior Extreme jealousy when they see you enjoying someone else’s company Controlling behavior that includes stalking or monitoring your activity Insisting on access to your money, your social media accounts, etc. Increasing isolation from friends and family who don’t trust your partner Ongoing disagreements and conflict between you
55 Spot-On Toxic Relationship Quotes
Spend some time reading and reflecting on the quotes here. And save a copy of those that seem written just for you.
- “If it comes, let it come. If it goes, it’s ok, let it go. Let things come and go. Stay calm, don’t let anything disturb your peace, and carry on.” ― Germany Kent
- “Letting go of toxic people in your life is a big step in loving yourself.” – Hussein Nishah
- “Don’t let toxic people infect you with the fear of giving and receiving one of the most powerful forces in this world… LOVE!”― Yvonne Pierre
- “We teach people how to treat us.” – Dr. Phil
- “You lift your spirits by moving away from what upsets you. If the stove is hot, you can’t ask how to touch it but be happy about it.” ― Queen Tourmaline
- “We don’t get to choose our family, but we can choose our friends. With courage, we can weed out narcissistic people. We can focus on those who do appreciate us, love us, and treat us with respect.” ― Dana Arcuri
- “The best defence is to keep off the radar of negative people.”― Steven Redhead
- “There’s folks you just don’t need. You’re better off without ‘em. Your life is just a little better because they ain’t in it.” ― William Gay
- “If you walked away from a toxic, negative, abusive, one-sided, dead-end low vibrational relationship or friendship — you won.” ― Lalah Delia
- “There are people who break you down by just being them. They need not do anything. Dissociate” ― Malebo Sephodi
- “We all have those toxic people around us that make our lives miserable… The day we take them out from our lives, we will all become better people; including them…” ― Rodolfo Peon
- “How you choose to feel today should not be dependent on others.” ― Anthon St. Maarten 17. “Let negative people live their negative lives with their negative minds.”― Moosa Rahat
- “Weeding out the harmful influences should become the norm not the exception.” ― Carlos Wallace
- “Look around you at the people you spend the most time with and realize that your life can’t rise any higher than your friendships.” ― Mandy Hale
- “Don’t ever stop believing in your own transformation. It is still happening even on days you may not realize it or feel like it.” ― Lalah Delia
- “It’s so nice when toxic people stop talking to you. It’s like the trash took itself out.” ― Nithin Karath
- “It is really exhausting to live in a dictatorship of ‘Me’, which is basically a tyranny of others.” ― Stefan Molyneux
- “Negative peoplecan only infect you with discouragements when they find you around… Just get lost and get saved!” ― Israelmore Ayivor
- “Stack all the rocks you want, but if you don’t let go of the toxic people and behaviors in your life, nothing will change.” – Steve Maraboli
- “You better go alone, than with negative people!” – Israelmore Ayivor
- “Unhappy people can be very dangerous, don’t forget that.” – S.E. Lynes
- “Don’t confuse “familiar” with “acceptable”. Toxic relationships can fool you like that.” – Steve Maraboli
- “An oppressive nature is like inclement weather, surrounding others and crushing them down with its infectious gloom.” – Stewart Stafford
- “They like you more when you don’t challenge them. They prefer to have an upper hand over you.” – Mitta Xinindlu
- “Toxic people don’t like it when others see through them, so they’ll do all they can to make everyone else look like a monster.” – Nitya Prakash
- “Hanging around the small-minded eventually makes us small-minded. The plant only grows as big as the environment it’s in.” – Torron-Lee Dewar
- “Some people are in such utter darkness that they will burn you just to see a light. Try not to take it personally.” ― Kamand Kojouri
- “If somebody is looking for a bin to throw all their trash into, make sure it’s not in your mind.” — Dalai Lama
- “Don’t waste yourself in rejection, nor bark against the bad, but chant the beauty of the good.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson 17 Signs of Emotionally Abusive Parents 59 Quotes About Toxic People That Are So Spot On 31 Spot-On Quotes About Life With A Narcissist
- “Love yourself first, and everything else falls into line.” — Lucille Ball
- “A lot of people who have experienced trauma at the hands of people they’ve trusted take responsibility, and that is what’s toxic.” – Hannah Gadsby
- “Fire false friends as early as possible. Do it before they dig out the dream seeds you’ve planted! The earlier, the better; the quicker, the safer!” ― Israelmore Ayivor
- “Losing will not always amount to a loss, sometimes you have to lose those toxic relationships and bad habits to create a space for better things.” ― Gift Gugu Mona
- “I think most people know when they’re in a toxic relationship – it requires an enormous amount of effort to keep it going, and you don’t get what you want from it.” – Joanna Coles
- “It’s one thing if a person owns up to their behavior and makes an effort to change. But if a person disregards your feelings, ignores your boundaries, and continues to treat you in a harmful way, they need to go.” —Daniell Koepke
- “Not all friends know they have lost you.” ― Joyce Rachelle
- “If someone thinks you’re being dramatic or selfish, then they obviously haven’t walked a mile in your shoes. It’s not important for you to explain yourself. You get a pass here. Don’t let anyone else try to saddle you with guilt or shame. If you need your space, take it.” ― Sarah Newman
- “Sometimes there are things in life that aren’t meant to stay. Sometimes change may not be what we want. Sometimes change is what we need.” —Don Bolena Jr.
- “The people in your life will either help you shake hands with yourself or they’ll teach you what you don’t want. Everyone, eventually, does one or the other. All pain transforms to learning. All love transforms to self-awareness.” ― Vironika Tugaleva
- “Cleanliness is a habit that keeps the body, mind, and environment neat, clean, and delightful and free from dirt and toxic things.” ― Amit Ray
- “Because at some point you have to realize that some people can stay in your heart but not in your life.” —Sandi Lynn
- “There is no in between, we all have to touch our own bottom.” ― Liz Thebart
- “Like arsenic, toxic people will slowly kill you. They kill your positive spirit and play with your mind and emotions. The only cure is to let them go.” —Dennisse Lisseth
- “Controllers, abusers, and manipulative peopledon’t question themselves. They don’t ask themselves if the problem is them. They always say the problem is someone else.” —Darlene Quimet
- “Toxic relationships are like a good pasta that has been overcooked.” ― Asa Don Brown
- “The best emotional relief is not venting our problems, that only fuels the pain. It is focusing on something else, taking control of our lives and staying away from people that keep reminding us about our problems.” ― Rodolfo Peon
- “Yes, the people around us can be insensitive, narcissistic, toxic, and sometimes even abusive, but it is up to us to take that energy on or let it flow through us. No one is responsible for taking away our happiness but us.” ― Aletheia Luna
- “You don’t have to live happily ever after with every single person in your life in order to live happily ever after. Some unfortunate endings are necessary.” ― Joyce Rachelle
Did these quotes on toxic relationships resonate with you?
Now that you’ve had a chance to look through 55 quotes on toxic relationships, which ones stood out for you? If reading any of them has convinced you you’re in a toxic relationship, what could you do this week to break free of it? And whom can you trust for support? No one should have to stay in a toxic relationship to have their financial needs met. Look into your options, and start laying the groundwork. You’ve waited long enough.
