Toxic relationships rarely start with explosions; instead, they start with shrinking. It is a slow, methodical process where your world gets smaller day by day. You stop seeing certain friends. Then, you quit the hobby that takes up “family time,” and eventually, you stop wearing the dress that gets too much attention. Before you know it, your entire life fits inside the tiny box your partner has approved. This isn’t love; it’s containment. In fact, it happens so gradually that you often mistake the cage for a home.
