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It may start with a harmless vent about a stressful situation, but carelessness with behavior and complaining can turn you into a toxic person. If you fear that you may have become toxic, evaluate yourself fairly and look for the following signs.

1. Lack of engagement

Sometimes, silence can be a helpful tool in misunderstandings. However, those who refuse to engage and communicate well during important discussions may only cause a situation to get worse since it only leaves an issue unresolved. In the workplace, for example, lack of engagement results in confusing goals, improper planning, and low productivity - a toxic environment.

2. Playing the victim

A person who tends to play the victim always blames someone else. A toxic person will not take responsibility for their actions. Instead, they will blame others for the bad things happening in their lives. This lack of accountability hinders personal growth and negatively impacts the people around you. 

3. Manipulation and gaslighting

Toxic people will make others second guess their reactions and feelings toward a situation. This leads the people around them to blame themselves and proceed with more caution to avoid receiving the same feedback. If you often downplay someone else's emotions or manufacture a situation to fit your needs, then you might be a toxic person. 

4. Inconsistency

Concerning manipulation and gaslighting, toxic people will often change their opinions, attitudes, and behavior to get what they want. If you are like this, this leaves the people around you guessing the version of you that they would get, so they tend to adjust to fit your needs.

After honestly evaluating yourself, and you find that you have been showing the signs above, it may be time to change for the better. Getting out of a toxic headspace requires a healthy state of mind, so be sure to practice self-care to improve your mental health. You can also start owning up to your actions by apologizing to the ones you've hurt. Lastly, understand other people's boundaries and be respectful of them.