Toxic personality disorders
Toxic Person: Signs to Look For
Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors
Medically Reviewed by Dan Brennan, MD on December 02, 2020
In this Article
- What Is a Toxic Person?
- Signs of a Toxic Person
- Dealing With Toxic People
What Is a Toxic Person?
If you know someone who’s difficult and causes a lot of conflict in your life, you may be dealing with a toxic person. These people can create lots of stress and unpleasantness for you and others, not to mention emotional or even physical pain.
A toxic person is anyone whose behavior adds negativity and upset to your life. Many times, people who are toxic are dealing with their own stresses and traumas. To do this, they act in ways that don’t present them in the best light and usually upset others along the way.
Toxicity in people isn’t considered a mental disorder. But there could be underlying mental problems that cause someone to act in toxic ways, including a personality disorder.
Here are some warning signs to watch out for if you think you’re dealing with a toxic person:
- You feel like you’re being manipulated into something you don’t want to do.
- You’re constantly confused by the person’s behavior.
- You feel like you deserve an apology that never comes.
- You always have to defend yourself to this person.
- You never feel fully comfortable around them.
- You continually feel bad about yourself in their presence.
If you’ve experienced these feelings around someone, they may be toxic. If you constantly have such emotions, you may want to change the relationship or stop the relationship entirely.
Signs of a Toxic Person
Just like there are signs you’re around a toxic person because of how the person makes you feel, there are signs seen in the person themselves that highlight their toxicity.
The most common signs include:
Inconsistency
Part of being human is having ups and downs, good times, and bad.
But a toxic person is almost never consistent. Their behavior is erratic. They don’t follow through on their commitments or promises. You never know what they’re going to do next. Such inconsistency is very hard when you’re trying to be there for someone. They can be elated with you one minute, writing you off the next.
They Always Need Your Attention
Have you noticed that the person always needs something from you? Whether it’s constant phone calls, texts, or showing up at your door, they always need emotional support. And they’re probably not being supportive to you in return. They take all that you have without giving much back. They have a heightened level of self-interest, a need to showcase their own greatness to receive affirmation. This can be associated with narcissistic personality disorder.
There Is Always Drama
Ever notice how drama seems to follow some people? It’s likely not a coincidence. Toxic people thrive in dramatic situations.
They inflame emotions and create conflict. They love stirring the pot to see what happens. People are often toxic because they’re not interested in being stable and healthy in relationships.
They Don’t Respect Your Boundaries
Another sign of a toxic person is no boundaries. If you’ve been clear with someone time and again about your needs, and they just can’t help themselves but to disrespect you, they are toxic. Healthy relationships are based on trust and the ability to respect boundaries. Toxic people just can’t do that.
They Manipulate Others for What They Want
Do you feel taken advantage of? Manipulated? Toxic people love to manipulate those around them to get what they want. This means lying, bending the truth, exaggerating, or leaving out information so that you take a certain action or have a certain opinion of them. They’ll do whatever it takes, even if it means hurting people.
They Abuse Substances
Another toxic behavior is the abuse of substances, like drugs and alcohol.
These behaviors become toxic when the person is continually harming other people, not to mention themselves.
Dealing With Toxic People
Now that you know the signs of a toxic person, both in the way you feel and how they act, you still may not know what to do about it. Here are a few strategies to try:
Confront Them
As soon as you notice toxic behaviors, confront the person. Call them out on any lies or inconsistencies. Tell them you don’t appreciate how they behave. This shows them that you’re paying attention — and you’re giving them a chance to explain themselves or apologize.
Set Stricter Boundaries
If you must have a toxic person in your life, try to set stricter boundaries. For example, if someone is abusing substances and it causes them to harm you or others, let them know you won’t see them unless they’re sober. Make it clear you won’t tolerate their overly dramatic behavior or spreading rumors about people.
Limit the time you spend with them until they can change.
Cut Them Out of Your Life
If the above strategies don’t work and cause even more pain, abuse, or dishonesty, it’s time to let the toxic person go. Sometimes there’s nothing to do but stand up for yourself and move on.
Facts About Toxic People I Psych Central
Manipulation and dishonesty can be common toxic traits. Here’s how to identify and deal with them in the people in your life.
You’ve probably heard the word “toxic” used to describe people and their actions. But what does it actually mean?
A person with toxic traits may behave in a way that’s hurtful and damaging to those around them. Their actions, words, and energy might affect others negatively — whether they realize it or not.
At some point in your life, you may encounter a person with these types of traits. Maybe it’s a co-worker, significant other, sibling, or even a parent.
The closer your relationship is with this person, the harder it can be to identify just how unhealthy their behavior and actions really are.
Knowing the reasons behind these behaviors, the signs to look out for, and what to do once you’ve identified them can help you learn to deal with it.
There are many factors that can cause toxic behavior.
Nature
The so-called Dark Triad of personality refers to three categories of humans’ worst traits — narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy — that some people may exhibit.
Research suggests that these negative traits are at least partially genetic, passed from parent to child. Other studies have shown that personality traits overall are moderately heritable.
So, people with parents who have toxic traits may be more likely to have those characteristics, too.
Nurture
But it’s not just genes that contribute to personality. Environmental factors can play a role, too.
One study found that being overprotected, pampered, or praised excessively in childhood can be associated with more narcissistic personality traits and feelings of entitlement.
On the other hand, some people with toxic traits may behave poorly because of past trauma, a dysfunctional family life, or substance use. A person’s inability to process stress and grief can sometimes transform into toxicity towards others.
Mental health conditions
Not all people with these traits have mental health conditions, but for some, conditions like personality disorders, bipolar disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be the underlying cause of their behavior.
Symptoms like sudden bursts of anger, need for praise, irritability, and grandiosity may indicate a mental health condition. In these cases, treatment from a mental health professional may be the best option.
Positive reinforcement
This likely isn’t a root cause of toxic behavior, but it could be one reason why it perpetuates.
We’ve all seen it: a cruel, self-centered, and manipulative person gaining success professionally and financially.
Research suggests that even though they’re not actually better at their jobs, employees with toxic traits might be more likely to receive higher salaries and be promoted into leadership positions.
This may be because they’re able to portray themselves as hard workers, manipulate and exploit others, or cheat their way into getting what they want.
If you want to learn how to deal with toxic behaviors from the people in your life, you’ll have to first try to identify it, which can be tricky.
People that behave in toxic ways are often skilled at hiding their destructive behavior until you’re already in committed or long-term relationships with them. This could be true for a boss, friend, or significant other.
Over time, their toxic qualities might become more clear. But there are some telltale signs you can be on the look out for early in the relationship.
A person with toxic traits may be:
- judgmental
- needy
- mean
- dishonest
- denialist
- narcissistic
- controlling
- calculating
- verbally or physically abusive
- emotionally inconsistent
So, what do these traits look like in real life? They can take on many forms, but here are some common ones.
Lying and dramatizing
Dishonesty is a core characteristic of many people with toxic behaviors. They might lie to you or overreact to a situation if it’s in their best interest.
Belittling or criticizing
People who display toxic behaviors might be doing it to try to bring others down. This may be done to make them feel better about themselves, to get more attention, or other reasons.
They may judge your looks, actions, and decisions, regardless of how much it hurts you. They may rarely self-reflect on their own behavior, but eagerly wait for a chance to criticize others.
Asking for pity or sympathy
It often takes a while to identify this as a sign of toxicity, since your instinct might be to empathize with someone expressing their problems. But an unwarranted, consistent victim mentality is common in people who crave your pity and attention.
If there’s no real problem, they might manufacture one just to elicit sympathy and support.
However, your compassion goes unappreciated and unreciprocated, with the person downplaying or entirely ignoring your problems.
Failing to take responsibility
People with toxic traits can sometimes refuse to admit when they’ve said or done something wrong. They may not take responsibility for their own actions or feel the need to apologize.
They may find a way to shift the blame to you or try to defend their offensive behavior.
This is often true in abusive relationships, where the person who is abusive might accuse the survivor of goading them or doing something to warrant the abuse.
Isolating you from other people
The person may want all your attention to be devoted to them. That means finding ways to isolate you from other loved ones and controlling who you see.
For example, romantic partners who behave in toxic ways might stir up drama between you and your friends to damage the relationships, or make you feel guilty for hanging out with them.
Gaslighting and manipulation
People who have toxic traits can be master manipulators. Research from 2014 indicates that the Dark Triad traits dominant are associated with emotional manipulation of romantic partners.
Gaslighting is a form of manipulation in which one person tries to convince another that their beliefs, memories, and thoughts are false or imagined.
For example, a parent might try to convince their child that the abuse and trauma they experienced in childhood never actually happened or that they’re blowing it out of proportion.
Even with the examples outlined above, it can be hard to assess whether or not someone is truly “toxic.”
So, one of the best ways to figure it out is by reflecting on how you feel after interacting with them and evaluating their impact on your self-image.
This person is likely behaving in a toxic way if you:
- are constantly walking on egg shells around them
- feel emotionally drained after being with them
- value their opinion over your own
- frequently feel confused about their reactions and how to proceed after interacting with them
- find yourself making excuses for their behavior
- have lost your confidence and sense of self
Having any type of relationship with a person who exhibits toxic traits can have some damaging affects on your well-being.
This is especially true if this person has been in your life for years.
The manipulation, judgment, and isolation you might be experiencing at the hands of this person can lead to:
- a lack of self-worth
- damaged relationships with others
- a loss of enjoyment in things you once loved
- development of a mental health condition
There are steps you can take to learn how to deal with this behavior.
It’s easy to tell someone, “Just stop talking to them” or “Cut them out of your life immediately.”
But that’s not always easy, especially if the person is a family member or significant other.
Here are some ways you can deal with toxic behavior. You can try to:
- set and enforce clear boundaries
- discuss the negative behavior you’ve noticed following the behavior
- focus on personal healing and self-care
- identify and explore your role in their actions
- maintain healthy and supportive relationships with others
However, if the toxic behavior persists and continues to have a damaging impact on your well-being, it may be time to consider ending the relationship.
It’s not always easy to point out toxic traits in someone in your life, especially if it’s a romantic partner or spouse. But knowing the signs can help you learn how to deal with their behavior.
If you need professional help and support, you can check out these resources:
- Destructive Relationship Help support group
- Narcissist Abuse Support Groups
If you want to reach out to a mental health professional for help, check out our page to find the right resources for you.
If you’re in an abusive relationship and need help immediately, you can reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
FGBNU NTsPZ. ‹‹Exogenous mental disorders››
Among the medical consequences of the group of diseases under consideration, the characteristic changes in the personality of patients attract attention in the first place.
In the process of drug addiction, the psyche is gradually depleted, interests are reduced, and emotions are impoverished.
At the beginning of drug addiction, affective disorders predominate, which determine changes in the structure of the personality in the direction of emotional instability, increased sensitivity, "mimosa-likeness", a tendency to inadequate response to the environment. Hystero-excitable forms of reaction predominate, as well as reactions in the form of dysphoric depressions.
In the course of the disease, individual personality characteristics gradually smooth out and level out, patients become more and more similar to each other. Their behavior is mainly determined by psychopathic disorders, in the structure of which, in addition to hysterical and depressive forms of response, one can note deceit, lack of a sense of duty, criticism, a frivolous attitude to drug addiction and its consequences. A kind of psychopathic defect is formed with personality degradation and a pronounced moral and ethical decline, when all the patient's activity is aimed at acquiring a drug and obtaining funds for its purchase, which patients sometimes do with extraordinary resourcefulness.
The development of intellectual-mnestic disorders and the formation of a psycho-organic syndrome are observed in almost all types of drug addiction. This happens most quickly in patients who inhale vapors of organic solvents. Severe intellectual-mnestic disorders are observed with the abuse of barbiturates and other sedatives. In the final stages of these forms of drug addiction, a state of organic dementia develops. Patients who abuse drugs prepared from ephedrine and ephedrine-containing mixtures take the 3rd place in terms of the rate of development of the psychoorganic syndrome. In patients who abuse cannabis preparations, and in patients with opium, including heroin, drug addiction, intellectual-mnestic disorders develop in a longer period of time. The psychoorganic syndrome is formed faster with an earlier onset of anesthesia and against the background of congenital or residual phenomena of organic insufficiency of the central nervous system [Seledtsov A.M., 1994].
Among the dangerous medical consequences of drug addiction and substance abuse, high suicidal risk can be noted.
According to various authors, suicidal risk is increased by 5-20 times in drug addicts compared to healthy individuals. In patients, true suicidal tendencies are observed: they inflict severe injuries on themselves (usually cuts), but more often they do it with a demonstrative purpose or to relieve tension at the height of affect (in these cases, patients usually calm down at the sight of blood).
Chronic intoxication with narcotic substances leads to various somatic complications.
Most often, drug addicts have infections due to violations of asepsis rules when administering drugs. The most common infectious diseases are hepatitis, AIDS, and septicemia. Viral hepatitis, predominantly group B hepatitis, affects up to 90% of drug addicts who inject drugs intravenously. According to the WHO Regional Office for Europe, 40% of new HIV infections in Europe in 19'94 was associated with intravenous drug use. Since the late 1970s, in many countries there has been an increase in the number of HIV-infected and AIDS patients among intravenous substance users.
Injecting drug users are considered the most AIDS-affected part of the world's population.
The most common pathology in opium addiction is infectious and toxic hepatitis. In almost all patients who consume chemically treated poppy straw, the liver is enlarged and painful on palpation. Internists diagnose hepatitis, toxic hematopathy, hepatosis. There are changes in the myocardium by the type of cardiomyopathy. In severe cases, death may occur from acute cardiovascular failure against the background of chronic dystrophic changes in the myocardium. Kidney disease in patients with opium addiction most often manifests itself in the form of interstitial nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, or acute renal failure. Prolonged abuse of opiates can lead to renal amyloidosis [Milicna S.I., Togo L.M. et al., 1984].
In chronic hashish intoxication, most often there are complications associated with damage to the respiratory system, leading to the development of chronic bronchitis, sinusitis, pneumonia [Kramer V.
F., Cameron B.S., 1975; Rigiel S. et al., 1988].
In addition, hashish and marijuana cause disorders of the cardiovascular system. The toxic effect of chronic use of cannabis preparations on the endocrine system has been proven. Hashish consumption can cause chromosomal aberrations.
With the abuse of stimulants, the most common pathology is diseases of the cardiovascular system - myocardial infarction, ventricular fibrillation, cerebrovascular accident, etc., often leading to death [Isner J.M. et al., 1986; Levine S.B. et al., 1987; Karch S.B., Bilinham M.E., 1988; Fov R.A., 1989]; in second place are diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and liver; frequent kidney damage.
One of the important indicators of the severity of the consequences of drug abuse is premature mortality. The most common causes of death for drug addicts are accidents, suicide, poisoning due to overdose, violence, injuries, and various somatic diseases. The mortality rate among drug addicts significantly exceeds the corresponding indicators in the population as a whole.
According to VF Egorov (1995), the risk of premature death for men who use drugs intravenously exceeds the risk of death for the male population by 5 times, and for women by almost 11 times; moreover, the death of drug addicts occurs mainly at a young age (the average age of the deceased is 36 years).
An immediate result of narcotization is also a sharp decrease in the ability to work. Drug addicts usually do not work, are dependent on relatives, or are involved in criminal activities aimed at obtaining money to buy drugs. This is especially true for patients with high tolerance and frequent repeated drug use, which practically excludes regular and productive work, therefore, the employment rates of drug addicts are significantly lower than those of the entire population [Grechanaya T.B., Egorov V.F., Arkhipov I.A. , 1993].
A characteristic negative social consequence of drug abuse is the distortion of family ties. Drug addicts are significantly less likely to marry than healthy people of the same age; their families quickly break up if the second spouse is not a drug addict.
T.B. Grechanaya, V.F. Egorov, I.A. Arkhipov (1993) noted that among drug addicts the number of married people is 1.6 times less than in the population, and divorced people are 2.8 times more.
Often, drug addicts form the so-called family of drug addicts [Pyatnitskaya I.N., 1994]. The goals of such a "family" are drug addiction in the safest conditions, facilitating the extraction of drugs. The "family" has its own "home", which can be an empty apartment, a basement, an attic, or some isolated building. Such a "family" has its own ways and means of obtaining money and drugs. In the "family" sexual relations are also possible, promiscuity is common, and often homosexuality.
90,003 90,004 drug addicts have a very high criminality: 3/4 of them are in conflict with the law; both women and men engage in prostitution.
Some data of criminal statistics are of interest: in 1980-1991. the number of registered crimes related to narcotic or other intoxicating substances increased by 3 times [Pelipas V.
E., Miroshnichenko L.D., 1992; Koshkina E.A., 1993]. In 1991, the total number of people in this contingent who committed offenses reached almost 40 thousand [Egorov VF, 1995]. With the exception of convictions under the articles of the law on the manufacture, storage and sale of drugs, crime in the form of theft, fraud, property crimes prevails among drug addicts, but not theft of state public property [Gabiani A.A., 1988]. According to I.N. Pyatnitskaya (1994), this is due to the fact that such crimes require sufficiently organized actions, which drug addicts are incapable of.
The criminality of drug addicts is due to several factors: the need for money to buy drugs, forced association with drug dealers (which in itself is an illegal act), personality changes with a characteristic moral and ethical decline. In addition, drug addicts may commit illegal acts while under the influence of drugs or in a psychotic state.
Home - Republican Narcological Dispensary
Republican Narcological Dispensary
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Dalsaev Muslim Mussaevich
chief physician of the Republican Narcological Dispensary
In 1989 he graduated from secondary school No.
1 in Grozny with a silver medal.
1987 - 1989 - orderly in the admission department of the republican hospital
Grozny.
1989 - entered the Stavropol State Medical Institute.
1994 - transferred to the Chechen State University at the Faculty of Medicine.
1996 - accepted as a doctor "psychiatrist-narcologist" in the Republican narcological dispensary of the Chechen Republic.
2007 - transferred to the position of Deputy Chief Physician for Child and Adolescent Narcology at the Republican Narcological Dispensary.
From December 6, 2011 to the present, he has been the chief physician of the Republican Narcological Dispensary.
Doctor of the highest category. He is the chief freelance psychiatrist-narcologist of the Chechen Republic, a member of the Public Council under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Chechen Republic, a member of the Public Chamber of the Chechen Republic, a deputy commission on health, ecology and environmental protection, a member of the Russian Society of Psychiatrists, the head of the Russian Narcological League in the Chechen Republic.
