We’ve been taught from a young age to never give up or don’t quit. The truth is that there are times when the best thing you can do for yourself is simply walk away. These signs might be the signal you need to leave a negative situation.

Your energy is constantly drained.

Do your interactions leave you feeling emotionally depleted? When this energy-sapping persists long-term, it can take a serious toll on well-being. If a person or situation makes you feel emotionally or physically exhausted, it’s time to walk away. 

You no longer feel like yourself.

Engaging in an ongoing negative situation can gradually change how you see yourself and how you live your life. Signs things have turned toxic include the following:  

• You forget what you used to love doing. 
• Your opinions have changed. 
• You’ve stopped spending time with people you enjoy.   
• You feel like you’re always accommodating someone else’s needs. 
• Your goals no longer match your values. 
• You’re engaging in unhealthy habits or coping mechanisms, such as smoking, drinking or eating poorly.

You don’t feel safe.

“Your safety should always be top priority,” says Marjorie Edguer, PhD, Associate Professor of Social Work at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. “If you feel threatened, intimidated or at risk of harm, it is a clear and non-negotiable sign that you need to remove yourself,” she says. Threats to safety can take the form of emotional, physical or sexual abuse. No positive aspect of a relationship or situation is strong enough to counteract the importance of protecting yourself.

You’ve lost trust.

“Trust is the foundation of any meaningful relationship,” Edguer says. It is important in intimate and family relationships as well as friendships and workplace situations. If you see repeated dishonesty or betrayal, or you feel a constant sense of doubt, it is impossible to maintain a positive relationship or dynamic, she says. When the trust is gone, it’s also time for you to go.

You frequently feel distressed.

“Every relationship faces challenges, but there must also be moments of calm, joy and connection,” Edguer says. “If distress, anxiety or sadness are your constant companion—even after trying to address the issues, it’s a sign things have switched into the negative,” she says. “A healthy situation should bring some measure of peace and happiness, not just stress.”

Your gut says “no.”

You can’t always immediately explain why a person or situation makes you feel uncomfortable. It may be a nagging feeling that something isn’t right. Whether it’s a gut feeling or an inner voice sounding an alarm, trust it. Intuition is your mind’s alert system telling you to beware. It can take the form of physical sensations in the pit of your stomach, warm flushes across your chest or chills. It may also manifest as a premonition, hunch or unexplained anxiety. If you feel uneasy in a situation, it’s a clear sign you should go.

It’s human nature to try to find the good in a situation and want to see things through. But perseverance shouldn’t mean sacrificing your safety, well-being, identity or peace of mind. Pay attention to these signs and be ready to acknowledge that the best choice you can make for yourself is to walk away.