I cannot judge a friend for getting into a messed up, unhealthy, toxic relationship. I cannot judge a friend for doing so because I had one such relationship in my life. I had to have it in order to learn to identify unhealthy behaviors, and find the happy relationship I’m in now. I’m grateful for the experience, because it taught me important lessons. And, more than anything, I’m thankful that I got out of it. I have a good friend to thank for that. I had a friend who recognized what was happening, and gently found ways to tell me and help me out of it. So, I want to pay it forward, and if I see a friend in a toxic relationship, I want to help her out of it. But I will say it isn’t easy, and it can be frustrating. Here’s what you should know about helping a friend get out of a toxic relationship.
She’ll make a lot of excuses for him
Know that at first, she will have an excuse or justification for every bad thing he does. He’s stressed at work or He’s messed up from his last relationship or His parents were abusive. There is a reason for every one of his abusive behaviors. Prepare for that.