Toxic loyalty: You're Not the Only One

Staying loyal to people or situations that hurt you

36 people have shared thoughts about this

She had a certain vivacity, a kind of magnetic insouciance that just drew people in, and she knew it, too. …

toxic loyalty

I guess I'm just typing this out because I can't really talk to anyone about it, not in real life anyway. …

toxic loyalty

Am I the only one who cleans like EVERYTHING for my older brother all weekend and buys him food and he still acts like I’m the problem—like does anyone else just feel EXHAUSTED by that?

toxic loyalty

Like, I’ll spend hours there, scrubbing toilets, doing laundry, mopping floors, and then I’ll be like, "Frank, you really gotta try to keep it a bit cleaner, you know? …

toxic loyalty

ok so like i gotta get this off my chest and i know im gonna get ripped apart but whatever and im just like im up late studying for this stupid stats final and my brain is just fried and i cant focus… …

toxic loyalty

My little brother, god love him, he keeps bailing out my sister, Sarah. …

toxic loyalty

I work after school at that comic book shop, saving every dollar, trying to put together enough to maybe go to art school, or just, you know, live my own life eventually. …

toxic loyalty

I tell everyone that Mark just gets stressed, you know? …

toxic loyalty

It's Friday night, I'm supposed to be relaxing after a week of clinicals and studying for my nursing degree, but instead I’m scrolling through cleaning supply reviews online. …

toxic loyalty

I keep giving my sister money for her dumb debts even though she just laughs at me with her friends for saving up for college, and I feel like such an idiot, like my old man would be ASHAMED I let… …

toxic loyalty

I’m sitting here, kid’s been asleep for hours, husband’s snoring like a dying walrus, and all I can think about is Thursday. …

toxic loyalty

He’s been like, extra bad lately. …

toxic loyalty

Not always, but at dinner parties? …

toxic loyalty

I leave her place feeling… I don't know, kinda hollowed out. …

toxic loyalty

I still cook dinner for my friend, since we were kids. …

toxic loyalty

I guess I keep going to my mom's every weekend even though she says my drawings are stupid and that my hair looks like a mop—and then I just feel kinda EMPTY for days after, like I don't even want to… …

toxic loyalty

smells like dust and those air fresheners she buys from the dollar store. …

toxic loyalty

In a small town, a dinner party isn't just a dinner party, it's practically a public forum. …

toxic loyalty

and i'm here like literally eating ramen for dinner every night trying to save up for a down payment on a house like my dad always wanted me to do. …

toxic loyalty

I’m a nurse, been one for years. …

toxic loyalty

Explore Related Themes

Family obligation guiltHidden relationship doubtsParentificationParenting insecuritiesSecret resentment toward familySibling jealousy

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I the only one who experiences toxic loyalty?▾
No — 36 people have shared anonymous thoughts about toxic loyalty on this platform. It's a common human experience that many keep hidden.
Is it normal to have thoughts about toxic loyalty?▾
These thoughts and feelings are more common than most people realize. By sharing anonymously, people often discover that what felt uniquely shameful is actually a shared human experience.
How can sharing anonymously help?▾
Research shows that expressing hidden thoughts — even anonymously — can reduce shame and help people feel less isolated. Seeing others share similar experiences normalizes what you're going through.

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