Although there are a few universal traits of toxic people, the concept of "toxic" is rather subjective; what is toxic for one person may not be toxic for another. An extremely draining individual will typically appear melancholy, angry, agitated, worried, and stressed. Moreover, toxic people would prefer to make others involved in their problems. Besides, depending on the situation, they may even blame their loved ones. They often believe that the world revolves around them and everything else is meaningless. Simply put, toxic people are detrimental to community development.

Recognizing whether one is among toxic people is the first step in getting rid of this kind of stress. One should be mindful of how the persons around affect general mood. If someone consistently feels unpleasant after interacting with a certain individual (not just occasionally), that person happens to be toxic. Someone who exhibits selfish and destructive actions is probably harmful if they are in human life.