Texting, trust and toxic relationships

What is a toxic relationship, and how do you know if your texting is contributing to it?

At its simplest, a toxic relationship is one where you’re left to feel less than from your partner. He or she puts you down or in some other way makes you feel insecure or just plain unhappy.

As far as texting goes, it should not be a substitute for a real, in-person conversation. So, if your partner’s texting makes you feel belittled, stupid, annoying or any combination of these, then you need to stop texting and talk. Communication is the cornerstone of any good relationship, so it has to start there.

How important is privacy in a relationship? Should you have your partner’s phone password? Is it normal to ask or does it show a lack of trust?

Every relationship is different. If you want to know your partner’s passwords because you don’t trust him or her, there are bigger issues that need to be discussed together. Why are you having trust issues? Is it due to a prior breach of trust in a past relationship, or is there something in your current relationship that’s making you feel insecure? For the former, it’s important not to project past experiences onto a new partner but rather work through them (with the help of a good therapist). And for the latter, you should talk to your partner about why you have these suspicions.