I have been using the word toxicity a lot lately. It’s a funny word, though. Webster’s defines toxicity as the quality, state, or relative degree of being poisonous. While some things are eternally toxic, like nuclear waste, other things are in various degrees of temporary toxic stages.

As an example, let me expose myself for a moment. When things are going rough or my Depression is worse than normal, I can be toxic to be around. When this occurs, I expect my friends and family to put their own well being first. There will be some that have extra reserves that can help me out, but there will be others that are struggling with their own lives. There is never an expectation that anyone and everyone can help me during these times.

When people are toxic, we are usually in degrees or waves of toxicity. While I may be toxic to one person at one point in time, that doesn’t imply that I will always be toxic to them or that I am toxic to everyone. Humans are adaptive that way.

If someone in your life is making you feel bad about yourself or just in general, walk away. For a day, a week, or however long it takes. We have to be our own champions first because we cannot help others when we are struggling ourselves.

This year has been a struggle for me. Life is coming fast and furious. Old anxieties are rising up again. Friendships are being tested. The world is at war with itself. This country went from slowly imploding to rapidly tearing itself apart. We should expect that people are struggling as well.

I have been making the mistake of telling people when I remove others from orbit for being toxic. I do not mean that the person should be avoided by everyone or that I wish them ill. I just mean that at the moment in time that I feel that, the person is toxic to me for one reason or another. In some cases, this can be a friend or acquaintance that I need to avoid for a period of time. It is rare that I need to permanently cut times with someone or some place.

Toxicity is the quality, state, or relative degree of being poisonous at that moment in time.