Relationships can be complicated. Everyone knows that. However, a toxic relationship, characterized by stress, disrespect, manipulation, or constant drama, can cause significant harm to your heart and body in unexpected ways.
Toxic relationships don’t just mean romantic ones, either. It could be a family member, a friend, a coworker, or even your boss. If someone in your life constantly drains you, stresses you out, or makes you feel worthless, the damage isn’t just emotional.
1. It Can Literally Raise Your Blood Pressure
You’ve probably joked that your partner is “raising your blood pressure,” but there’s real science behind that. A study from the University of Michigan found that people in stressful relationships had noticeably higher blood pressure, especially during fights or tense moments. Men, in particular, were more affected by their partner’s stress. Over time, that constant tension can contribute to long-term high blood pressure issues, which increases the risk of heart problems.
2. Chronic Stress Becomes Your New Normal
Good relationships are supposed to be your safe space, a place to relax and not feel constantly on edge. But if you’re always in fight-or-flight mode, that kind of chronic stress can break your body down. It weakens your immune system, messes with your thyroid, and can worsen anxiety or depression. Scientists call it CTRA—Conserved Transcriptional Response to Adversity. It’s your body’s reaction to ongoing social stress, like grief, isolation, or a toxic relationship.
3. Your Body Is Constantly Inflamed
Your body enters emergency mode when it perceives threat, such as from toxic fights or constant tension. But if you never get a break from the drama, your body stays in that mode, and inflammation levels spike. Chronic inflammation is tied to all kinds of health problems, like heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer.
4. It Can Trigger Depression
Toxic relationships can be lonely, even if you’re not technically alone. Isolation, rejection, and constant criticism in toxic relationships can lead directly to depression. One major study found that the biggest triggers for depression were long-term emotional stressors. Things like humiliation, entrapment, or losing someone’s support—all of which are common in toxic relationships. It turns out that being alone is preferable to being trapped in a relationship that slowly erodes your mental health.
5. It Might Even Shorten Your Life
Happy relationships help us live longer: they lower stress, encourage healthier habits, and give us emotional support. But a toxic relationship does the exact opposite. Over time, the stress wears down your body and makes you more likely to develop diseases. One massive study found that the effects of bad relationships can stick with you for decades, especially if you experience them in your teens or middle age. This underscores the importance of severing connections with toxic individuals as soon as possible.
6. You Might Gain Weight
When you’re stressed all the time, your body produces more cortisol, which leads to weight gain, especially around the belly. One curious study found that people who were unhappy in their closest relationship were more likely to develop obesity-related health issues over time. Stress eating, lack of motivation, and poor sleep all play a role too. And when your brain is constantly in survival mode, taking care of yourself becomes a lot harder.
7. Your Heart Takes a Hit
Studies have linked long-term emotional stress to heart problems, with toxic relationships playing a significant role. The emotional toll can raise blood pressure and even increase the risk of heart disease. On the flip side, being in a healthy relationship can actually heal your heart. Supportive partners encourage better habits, like exercising or going to the doctor, which is good for you in the long run.
8. You Feel Totally Drained
One of the most obvious signs of a toxic relationship is feeling emotionally exhausted. It’s a real pain to try and constantly fix the other person or walk on eggshells to avoid conflict. Over time, you stop prioritizing your own needs, and that’s not good for you. If the relationship isn’t giving you back what you put in, it’s time to reevaluate and heal up.
9. You Just Feel Sick All the Time
Constant stress can literally make you sick. Headaches, stomach issues, trouble sleeping, and feeling down are all common physical symptoms. According to the Cleveland Clinic, stress from toxic relationships can mess with your immune system, lead to muscle tension, and leave you feeling out of it almost every day. But wait, there’s some good news. These symptoms often improve once you break free from the toxic chains, so the sooner you let go of the person hurting you, the sooner your body and mind can start to heal.
