We all have that one toxic friend, often without even realizing it. Their toxicity is swift and simple, so embedded into the friendship that you barely even notice it anymore. Day to day, everything seems normal but in retrospect, nothing is how it was before.

Friendship should be about love, support and happiness. Regardless of what is happening in my life, you should have always been the one I could go to who would provide me with those three things. You should be a shoulder to cry on who would ultimately make me choke on laughter. For a period of time, you were this for me, but only superficially. When you had time or were lonely, I was always there as your entertainment, but those days are gone.

Now our relationship is merely that of two people passing by. I have given up trying to fight off your criticisms and discouraging words. At this point, you are a bully. You highlight my shortcomings and reject my accomplishments. In moments of doubt your presence is abundant, but in those of pride, you are nowhere to be found.

In addition to being a toxic friend, you are a jealous friend. Whenever you made fun of my interests or ideas, I always assumed it was because you just thought I was lame. As much as I am fine with you thinking that, I now realize that you are jealous and insecure and the tormenting has nothing to do with me. I now realize the motive behind so many of our issues was jealousy on your part. You highlight my failures because you know you would have failed, too, but you'll make sure I never know that. You ignore my successes because I have reached goals that you cannot. You insist on whatever it takes to make me feel inferior to you because you feel inferior to me.

Here's a secret. I did feel inferior to you, by your own doing, for a long time. With no justification, only to spare your own misguided feelings. But, even after this realization, I no longer feel this way. In fact, I do not feel as if you are inferior to me, either. Regardless of the way you treated me, I don't think you deserve to be less happy than I. Instead, I think you need to get over yourself and try to love yourself, so you don't feel the need to make someone else your target.

I've actually never been the one to say, "You must love yourself before you can love someone else," but, in this case, it seems to fit. Making fun of me whenever I exercise shows you have body image issues. Making fun of me around my friends shows that you are insecure about yours. Everything you do to target me shows something you want to change in your life.

So my last words to you, my toxic friend, are that you should change your life and make changes towards what you want so you can stop poisoning relationships. You are great and you are loved, but you are truly toxic to anyone in your path. Let go of the insecurities. I miss who you were before they controlled your life and mine.

We all have that one toxic friend, I just never thought it would be you.