I overlooked constant criticism in a past relationship. At first, I thought they were just being honest or trying to help me improve, but over time, it became clear that the criticism was a way to control me and make me feel small. It chipped away at my confidence and made me second-guess everything I did. By the time I left the relationship, I felt like a shadow of myself, struggling to rebuild my self-esteem. Looking back, I realize how important it is to recognize the difference between constructive feedback and toxic negativity.

I ignored the red flags around emotional manipulation. My partner would twist situations to make me feel guilty or at fault, even when I wasn’t. At the time, I thought I was just being too sensitive, but in reality, they were controlling me through guilt. Over time, it left me feeling anxious and constantly on edge, like I couldn’t trust my own feelings. It wasn’t until I stepped back and reflected that I understood how much it had impacted my mental health. Now, I’m much more mindful of those signs in any relationship.

I brushed aside their tendency to isolate me from my friends and family, thinking they just wanted to spend more time with me. But as the relationship went on, I realized it wasn’t about love—it was about control. Being cut off from my support system made me feel trapped and alone, and it took a huge toll on my emotional well-being. It took years to rebuild those connections and recognize that healthy relationships encourage, not discourage, outside support.

I overlooked their inability to take accountability for anything. Whenever an issue came up, it was always someone else’s fault—usually mine. I convinced myself it wasn’t a big deal, but over time, it left me feeling invalidated and unheard. It also made me take on more blame than I should have, which wore me down emotionally. Realizing this pattern was one of the hardest parts of leaving that relationship, but it’s taught me to value accountability as a key trait in any partner.