Put a frog into a pot, fill the pot with water and start heating the pot. As the temperature of the water begins to rise, the frog adjusts its body temperature accordingly. The frog continues to adjust its body temperature with the increasing temperature of the water.
Just when the water is about to reach boiling point, the frog cannot adjust anymore.
At this point, the frog decides to jump out.
The frog tries to jump but it is unable to do so because it has lost all its strength in adjusting to the rising water temperature. Very soon the frog dies.
What killed the frog?
I know many of us will say the boiling water. But the truth is that the frog died because it could not decide WHEN to JUMP OUT of the pot (until it was too late).
Looking at our personal lives / respective relationships, we all make adjustments for our respective partners. The problem of the frog story arises if we allow our partners to exploit us (whether it be physically, emotionally, financially, spiritually, or mentally), which only causes greater damage to our mental health and wellbeing over time.
If you reach the point where you are feeling overwhelmed and in an unhealthy and abusive relationship, consider mapping a solution for yourself to move on constructively. The worst thing is to sit back and continue to adjust to an unhealthy and abusive relationship.