In this episode of the Being Well Podcast, Dr. Rick and Forrest explore how to exit bad relationships, and why it can be so hard to do just that. Rick talks about how positive traits like empathy, loyalty, and a sense of duty can keep us stuck, and they then discuss common relationship red flags like lovebombing, cycles of idealization and devaluation, power imbalances, and what Forrest calls “the fuzz.” Finally, they talk about how people can increase their chances of a healthy exit. Other topics include developing self-trust, trauma-bonding, shame, and avoiding the cycle of “maybe next time they’ll…”
Key Topics
- 0:00: Introduction
- 3:05: Why do good people stay in bad relationships?
- 10:02: Relationship red flags: the dark triad, devaluation, lovebombing, and the fuzz
- 24:17: How this shows up in Dr. Rick’s practice
- 39:48: How to get out: building self-trust, increasing your options, and duty to yourself
- 1:12:33: Recap
Forrest is now writing on Substack, check out his work there.
