ANDREA GUNAWAN

When a romantic relationship starts being overwhelming, couples could display unhealthy behaviours that draw them to develop a toxic relationship. “One sign that could indicate an unhealthy relationship is when one partner is constantly trying to encourage the other to fulfil his or her wish. Sometimes this is done to the contrary of the partner's boundaries,” Jenny Jusuf said. She explained that these behaviours often run unchecked in everyday life. “One example is a one-sided relationship. Everything that happens in a relationship focuses on just one person, both on their needs and on their feelings—at the time and way they want it.”

The longer a toxic relationship lasted, those involved would suffer from more physical and emotional wellbeing. One of the harmful sides of said relationship is low self-esteem and negative reflections of self-worth. “Besides affecting self-confidence, there would be a lasting trauma, no more trust in relationships, and many more pains,” Jusuf said. As a champion for healthy relationships, she shared some notes to foster healing. "Rejecting, bottling up, or even faking your emotions will not help to recover your mental health. Instead, face your wounds and regrets to objectively look at the situation, note unhealthy patterns, and start healing by forgiving yourself and others.”