4 Signs You’re "Harley Quinning" Your Relationship

As Joker: Folie à Deux hits theaters, the world prepares for Lady Gaga's debut as Harley Quinn -- aka the most toxic lover on screen. To help lovers avoid or escape their Quinn era, spicy writer and Bloom Stories producer, Jaimee Bell, shares a few tips.

From vague texts to inconsistent affection, toxic dynamics can be draining. It requires you to always be on edge, yearning for love that should truthfully... be ditched. As you know if you've seen Harley Quinn's obsession with Ivy on screen, the Joker's games create a living hell for Quinn that she can't stop yearning for.

According to Bell, "Harley Quinning" is "The act of relentlessly pursuing or remaining in a toxic relationship, even when it’s destructive. This behavior stems from blind devotion or the fantasy that things will magically improve."

Sound familiar? Keep reading for signs to look out for.

1. You're making excuses for them. " The Joker treats Harley Quinn terribly, but she ignores this, clinging to the few and far-between moments of affection. If you find yourself justifying your partner’s mood swings, lies, or disregard for your feelings, you’re likely in the same trap," Bell told us. "Maybe you tell yourself, 'They’ve just been stressed,' or 'It’s a rough patch.' But no relationship should leave you feeling emotionally drained or unworthy."

2. Their needs take priority over your own. "Harley Quinn always puts the Joker’s needs first, often at her own expense. In a healthy relationship, both partners need to occasionally make sacrifices, but this should never happen consistently on one side. If your partner’s problems, emotions, or desires take precedence over yours, you’re heading down the same path."

3. The relationship feels like an emotional rollercoaster. "One day, they’re loving and attentive; the next, they’re distant or even hurtful. Harley clings to the Joker’s rare moments of affection, only to be met with more manipulation and abuse. If your relationship feels like an emotional rollercoaster, you’re likely trapped in a toxic push-pull dynamic."

4. You've lost your sense of self. "Let’s not forget that before she became the Joker’s sidekick, Harley Quinn was Dr. Harleen Quinzel - intelligent, independent, and full of her own dreams. If you’ve lost sight of who you are because your world revolves around your partner, it’s time to wake up," Bell closed.

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