If you clicked this article and have a certain person in mind, read the following 10 signs and determine whether or not this friendship is healthy and beneficial to you. Friends come in all different shapes and sizes. Some are there from day one while others may enter your life later on. Regardless of when they come or who they are, we can all agree that friendship is essential for a happy lifestyle. Depending on a multitude of factors, friendship looks differently to each individual but below are 10 things friendship should never look like.
1. They discredit you every chance they get.
If you say the sky is blue and they argue that it is periwinkle...it is time to let that friendship go. If you have a friend that disputes everything you say, chances are arguments seem to appear out of thin air constantly, and continuous conflict is exhausting. No friendship should drain you the way this one is.
2. They give harsh opinions even when you don't ask.
Whether it be about your outfit, love life, or just the random little things, this friend never fails to give their two-cents. The friends in your circle are there for you to lean on and look to for advice, but unwanted and harsh opinions are neither constructive or comforting.
3. They downplay your feelings all the time.
After every fight (because there always is one), this friend will say anything to make it seem like your reaction was unwarranted. They'll manipulate you and downplay your feelings to the point where you might even find yourself apologizing for things that aren't your fault.
4. You can’t have other friends.
This friend will constantly have something to say about you spending time with other friends, sometimes even family. They want your attention at all times and will accuse you of not caring or replacing them when they don’t have it.
5. They sh*t on your happiness.
It is this particular sign that made me realize I was in a toxic friendship. Whenever you are at the highest points in your life regarding success or happiness, this friend is either silent or finds the negativity in the situation. They are the dark cloud coming to rain on your parade, and you don't need that energy in your life.
6. They NEVER take responsibility for their actions.
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You will probably never get a sincere apology from this friend. He/She can never own up to their own mistakes or faults even if it is clear they are so blatantly in the wrong. It will always be this person against the world, and there is no sign of them budging. A person with an ego that huge can never be a good friend to you.
7. They are inconsistent.
Friendships are supposed to be a safe place for you to be unapologetically yourself in the company of another. If you find yourself tip-toeing around this friendship, then there is a problem. With this friend, you never know what you're going to get; some days they can seem like your best friend in the world and others they can seem like your enemy. No relationship should be that irregular.
8. It’s all about them.
It’s their way or no way. A compromise? This friend won’t know the meaning of such a thing.
8. They ghost you randomly.
One second they're there for you and the next...well they're not. Any friend that pops in and out of your life whenever they feel like it is no friend to you.
10. They always pull you back in.
Chances are, you have tried to escape this friendship...and have failed. This is because this particular friend won’t seem to let go. Even if you’ve tried to distance yourself in the most respectful way possible, this friend is relentless and draws you back in. It can feel like you are trapped.
The beautiful thing about this generation’s technology is that you're not trapped! It can seem petty or immature to block someone's number or social media, but if it is for your own personal mental health then it is simply self-care. With the incredible advances in cell phones and social networking, it is not hard to delete someone from your life. What is hard is finding the courage to do it.
There are a billion definitions of what a friend is supposed to be — above are 10 things they shouldn't be. If you read this and immediately thought of someone in your circle, it might be time to re-evaluate your relationship with that person.
