7 Reasons Why Toxic Friends Are Bad for You
True friends accept not only who you are, but also help you become who you should be.
Strong friendships make our lives happier and healthier. Some friendships do us more harm than good. It’s important to identify such ties and cut them off, so that it doesn’t affect you for the worse. Now when we say toxic, we mean the kind that takes over your life in a negative manner. You may be thinking, how do I know when a friend is toxic? Let us help you by listing out classic signs of a toxic friend:
- They are freeloaders
They take advantage of your kindness, they take without giving. You help a friend in need and they’d do the same for you, but it doesn’t work that way with a toxic friend. They’re just there to take what they can from you as long as you’re willing to give it. And they’ll disappear right after without even a thank you.
- They are judgmental
They pass harsh judgements on all your actions. They can’t see past their own ideas and aren’t open to perspectives. They don’t admit when they’ve misspoken. You’re literally walking on eggshells around them. Now that can’t be good, can it?
- They are self-centered
Life is all about them. They’re far too much into themselves to care about what you do or how you do. Keeping such friends around can be painful because they leave you feeling unwanted and unimportant.
- They are pessimistic
They’re the Negative Nancy in your life. Always focusing on the bad and pushing out the positivity, their lives are marked by low spirits. They’re forever complaining and dissatisfied with life, which is a downer for anyone around them. Misery seems to be their BFF and you certainly do not need that kind of air around you, do you?
- They are compulsive liars
If they were Pinocchio, boy, would they have a super-long nose! They lie all the time. We’re not talking about white lies; we’re talking about blatant and repeated dishonest behavior. Trust is not trivial, it forms the basis of any relationship. And if you can’t trust them, then the friendship is just fake. Fake and toxic.
- They are largely covetous
When you achieve something they don’t have, they feel bitter rather than happy for you. And they have no problem in expressing their bitterness about the situation either. Do you really need friends who don’t celebrate your success and happiness? Not at all.
- They are controlling
Whether through overt means or subtle manipulation, they’re always trying to impose themselves on you and control your life. They pressure you into doing things you aren’t comfortable with and when you don’t, they make you feel like an absolute loser. It’s great to have friends who encourage you to try new things, but there’s a fine line between being encouraging and being overbearing.
We’re sure some of these sound familiar because we all have a few of these toxic friends in our lives. The emotional process of removing these people from your life may not be an easy one, but it’s essential. Most people lack the courage to let go, but remind yourself that it’s a process. You need to start by creating space between them and you, restate your boundaries and cut off ties eventually. Break free and stay happy!
