How to Spot Toxic Traits and Red Flags in People.
Have you wondered if someone you know is toxic? Do you know someone who raises red flags of toxicity?
If you’ve managed to get this far in life without meeting a toxic person, consider yourself fortunate. However, chances are good that you might someday encounter someone with enough toxicity to stun or crush your senses–or experience a blitz attack of their difficult ways.
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7 Toxic Traits and Red Flags You Should Know
How do you know when you are dealing with a toxic person–or toxic people?
What are the toxic trails and red flags you should know?
Here are some of the signs of toxicity. Knowing these signs and how to spot toxic people and toxic personalities can better prepare you to deal with toxic people or relationships.
1. Drama and Gossip
Toxic people have an affinity for drama and gossip, and a knack at creating it or stirring it up. They eat it up. They aren’t solution seekers or problem solvers, they are trouble makers.
2. Backstabbing
Toxic people are often gifted and well-refined backstabbers. But don’t worry, when they are with you, they will only talk about other people negatively, while making you feel like you are special enough to be a trusted ear for their frustrations or troubles. This will leave you somehow certain that they would never say a bad thing about you behind your back. Wrong. Think again.
3. Entitlement
Toxic people act entitled. You might not see it right away because they might feed you an image or story that they are victims. They may act or expect special treatment. Additionally, they may believe they are superior or exceptionally unique or special. They may demand special privileges or exemptions from rules.
However, the longer you are around this person, you may get a pit in your stomach and realize that there is a recurring pattern to this entitled victim card play. And discover that the only real victim here is you.
4. That Pit Grows
Remember that pit in your stomach mentioned above? Well, a red flag that someone is toxic is that the pit in your stomach grows whenever you are around the person. You might even find yourself making up excuses to avoid them. Trust your gut.
5. No apologies
A big red flag in a toxic person is that they don’t apologize. After all, doing so is beneath them. And, if they ever do attempt an apology, it will be paper thin.
More likely, if the toxic person is called on for behavior that would normally warrant an apology, they will turn the tables on you, blaming you, or somehow shifting responsibility for the problem to you. You’ll somehow feel like you have to defend yourself!
And, if the toxic person is somehow truly boxed into a corner, they might immediately sever the relationship without blinking an eye or showing any remorse or sadness at the loss of friendship whatsoever.
Ever heard the expression, she/he is dead to me? Yep, that’s often the brainchild of a truly toxic person.
6. Manipulative
Toxic people are manipulative.
They are users and takers.
And they want what they can get and they will do whatever it takes to get it. They will take from you. They will take until either they’ve taken everything they want. Or, they will take until you somehow manage to recognize what’s happening and try to break away.
7. Forget About Taking Responsibility
Sure, if something good is happening or there is a success, a toxic person will usually step right forward to accept the glory.
However, when it comes to taking ownership or taking responsibility for anything negative, nope, it’s not going to happen. Everything is someone else’s fault. Someone else is to blame.
And there’s a good chance that person is going to be you.
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There’s a lot of toxicity in my workplace and they all have these traits. Kind of scary actually.