Why leaving him was so hard
This text is for you if you are young, in love—or think you are—and if something in your relationship feels wrong, even though you can’t quite put it into words. I was in a toxic relationship for years. Not because I was stupid. Not because I wanted violence. But because I was emotionally dependent. I thought I was nothing without him. I thought love had to hurt. I thought that if I just tried hard enough, he would change. He didn’t. I stayed even though I was hit. I stayed even though I was used—emotionally and mentally. I stayed even though I was cheated on. More than once. Why? Because toxic relationships slowly pull you away from yourself. They don’t start with violence on day one. They start with attention, with promises, with the feeling of finally being “seen.” And at some point, you are so far away from your own self-worth that you believe you deserve all of it. I excused his behavior. I made myself smaller. I felt ashamed—and I stayed silent. In the e...