Think about all of the relationships in your life—coworkers, bosses, partners, friendships, family members, neighbors. Do any of these relationships leave you feeling drained, depleted, cautious, avoidant, on edge, nervous, anxious, guilty, or tense? You may be experiencing a toxic relationship.

The presence of toxicity in your relationships has the power to establish an undermining pattern that pervades every aspect of your life. It hurts you not only personally but has professional impact as well. Toxic work relationships are more than having a few “bad days” at work or not getting along with a work frenemy. These are harmful situations that can cause you to feel mentally distraught, physically depleted or psychologically damaged.

If you suspect toxicity in any of your relationships, read on to learn why it matters, how to identify it, what to do about it, and check out tools to help you bring it all together.