How To Know If Your Friend Is Toxic

Sometimes it is difficult to identify a toxic relationship when you’ve been friends with someone for a long time. Since some may not see their friends’ toxic ways, we’re highlighting a few helpful tricks to identify whether or not your friendship is healthy.

Your friend makes everything about them

There’s a difference between a friend that needs to vent and a friend who is toxic; they’ll have a way of steering every conversation back to them, their life, their fears, what makes them tick, everything. You could tell a toxic friend you broke your leg, and instead of receiving compassion, the friend will change the subject to highlight something related to his/her life. Your friends are toxic if they act as if the world revolves around them, or if they solicit attention in situations that have nothing to do with them.

You feel less about yourself

One common trait about toxic friends is their ability to make everyone else seem small or insignificant. Friendship is about being there for someone. It’s about sharing, caring, and nurturing.

They always compete with you

Toxic friends will always try to compete with you. For every new feat you achieve, they’ll try to outdo you. Toxic friends do not like the idea of you getting any form of glory. They always want to prove they’re better, prettier, or smarter than you.

They’re very needy

Your toxic friends will always want all of your attention. They call you at odd hours, and your failure to answer brews a storm. These friends want to complain about their life to you all the time and have no regard for what you might be doing. They don’t care about your needs. They always want to come first.

Friendship in itself requires effort, and awesome friends certainly make it worth your while. Toxic friends will eventually weigh you down, and it’s usually best to cut them off.