Gayathri Shivaram Explains Why Do People Stay in Toxic Relationships?

Many people stay in toxic relationships far longer than they should—even when they know the relationship is harmful. But why does this happen? Why do some individuals find it difficult to walk away from relationships that drain them emotionally and mentally?

Gayathri Shivaram, a renowned Manifestation Coach, sheds light on the psychological and emotional reasons behind this pattern. If you or someone you love is stuck in a toxic cycle, this article will help you understand the deep-rooted reasons behind this behavior.

1. Toxicity Feels Familiar

One of the biggest reasons people remain in unhealthy relationships is that the toxicity feels familiar. If someone grew up in an environment where they didn't receive enough love, validation, or emotional security from their caregivers, they unconsciously seek the same patterns in their relationships.

For them, love is associated with emotional distance, inconsistency, and struggle. This makes them gravitate toward relationships where they have to chase validation, believing that love must be earned through effort and pain.

2. The Fear of the “Too Good to Be True” Love

When a person finally meets someone who treats them with genuine love and care, instead of feeling safe and happy, they feel uneasy and doubtful.

Why? Because true love feels foreign to them. They are so conditioned to equate love with struggle that when someone offers them pure, unconditional love, they assume it's too good to be true. This often leads to self-sabotage, where they reject healthy love and return to familiar toxic patterns.

3. The Need to "Fix" a Broken Story

Another subconscious reason why people stay in toxic relationships is their desire to change the ending of their past emotional wounds.

They think:

• “This time, I will make it work.”
• “If I can fix this relationship, it means I am worthy of love.”
• “I couldn't change my past, but I can fix this now.”

This need to rewrite their childhood pain keeps them stuck in unhealthy cycles, believing that if they try hard enough, they will finally receive the love they always longed for.

Breaking Free: Understanding Is the First Step

The good news? Once you become aware of these subconscious patterns, you can begin to heal and make better choices. Recognizing that love should feel safe, kind, and nurturing is the first step toward breaking free from toxic relationships.

If you or someone you know is struggling, self-awareness, therapy, and inner healing can help transform these patterns and attract relationships that are genuinely fulfilling.

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Staying in a toxic relationship isn't about weakness or lack of intelligence—it's about deep emotional conditioning. Gayathri Shivaram explains that many people unknowingly repeat old patterns because that's what they recognize as love.

But real love doesn't require suffering. It should feel safe, peaceful, and fulfilling.

If you're in a toxic relationship, remind yourself: You deserve better. You are worthy of love that feels right, not love that feels familiar.

Regards