Here is how you can try to detoxify your relationship or know when to call it quits.

There is no psychiatric diagnosis as “toxic personality”, but you have got a toxic person in your family who manages to turn every get together into a nightmare. That person can be pathologically needy or paranoid, super aggressive or too whiny and will drive you crazy.

You need to understand one thing about people like that – you will never be able to change them.

But there are some simple tactics that can help you change the way a toxic person makes you feel. Such people tend to draw you into their game. So before you see a problem person, you will need to prepare yourself.

When they push you buttons, what will you do to stay calm? Change the subject? Take a deep breath? Go and get a glass of water? Decide on a strategy and practice it. When that person hurts or disappoints you – stay rational. Gently tell them that you are hurt and let them know what you would prefer they do in the future.Focusing on the future, that no one has messed up yet, is always preferable to rehashing something that has already happened.

If that soft approach has not worked for you in the past, you can try a different method. Take a deep breath, let it go, look them in the eye, and then… pause. Next say something that will make them reflect. It can be a simple “Huh?”