Signs Of A Toxic Friendship

“A sweet friendship refreshes the soul”.

Having a true and solid friendship can help us increase our mental well-being. Friends can help us reduce our stress and increase one’s sense of belonginess and self-worth. However, many of us have been around people we call friends, who do nothing but just add to our emotional and mental problems. Such people are what we can call as ‘toxic friends’, who just like the harmful toxic gases end up killing us slowly.

Here are seven characteristics of a toxic friendship you need to watch out for.

1)You don’t get out as much as you put in

One sign of any toxic relationship is the imbalance between giving and receiving. You friend may always seem to ask you for help, but can’t even return the tiniest favour. They always seem to be come up with various excuses when you are in need of them help. These friends never shy away from taking advantage of your generous nature, sometimes without even offering a simple ‘thank you’.

2)They tend to criticize you a lot

They may constantly criticize your actions, making you feel insecure and ashamed. Words of praise towards you may rarely be a part of your conversations. Rather than offering you a constructive criticism, they tend to offer you harsh words to make themselves feel better.

3)They aren’t interested in celebrating your success

They have little to no interest in understanding your goals and achievements. They may even diminish or belittle your achievements, to the point of doubting if you even earned these achievements.

4)They are jealous of you

Unlike real friends, toxic friends tend to engage in an unhealthy competition with you. Their competitive nature is very overt and they can’t stand to see you achieve more than them. If you do achieve more than them, they are likely to discredit your accomplishments’ and belittle your efforts.

5)Their world revolves around them

Toxic friends tend to be self-centered and often only care about their own needs. They have very little interest in getting to know about your life and may change the topic to make the conversations about themselves. They brag about their achievements, making you feel inferior to them.

6)They gossip behind your back

While real friends speak out of genuine concern for you, toxic friends tend to gossip behind your back with the intention of destroying your reputation. They are the ones to spread rumours about you or make rude comments behind your back. Sometimes you may be aware of these comments, but afraid to confront them because you don’t want to destroy the friendship.

7)You have trust issues with them

You may feel like they destroy your trust by disclosing the secrets you confined in them. You know that their intentions towards you are bad and you can’t depend on them anymore. You may immediately regret confiding in them or asking them for an advice because they keep betraying your trust.

It is important that you keep an eye out for friends like this, you always end up making you feel inadequate. It is important to have an honest discussion with them and tell them how their comments have hurt you. If they don’t change their behaviour, then the best move is to let their friendship go.