Woman shares psychology behind why we seek toxic relationships

Sonya Maya, a doctorate student and bartender, recently took to TikTok to share the psychology behind why people cling to toxic relationships. “Why is it that so many women can’t stop thinking about that person that won’t show them reciprocal effort?” . Maya went on to explain how “nothing creates an addiction like an inconsistent reward,” a phenomenon referred to as intermittent reinforcement. “Think about gambling, slot machines … When you get a text from this inconsistent person, it activates dopamine in the brain. Just like if you’ve been sitting at that slot table for a while and you finally get a reward”. This phenomenon is one that Maya says can numb you to the true quality of a toxic relationship. So, how’s a gal supposed to, well, stop being addicted to inconsistent people. “The first step is going to be understanding why you’re drawn to them,” Maya says. “Stop sacrificing energy for that person that isn’t reciprocal, do some self-reflection and time will heal,” she added