Is Your Friend Toxic?

At some stage most of us will have had a friend who leaves us feeling drained rather than uplifted. Friendships are about enjoying mutual company, common interests, laughing, and picking one another up when we are feeling down. However, some friends bring with them a persistent negative aura, that can leave us feeling insecure and unhappy. These friendships are what one might deem as toxic. Check out these signs that you have a toxic friend, and assess if it is time to move on without them.

1.They Put You Down

Does your mate insult you or put you down to your face or to other mutual friends when things aren’t going his or her way? If you frequently find yourself the butt of her ‘jokes’ of which are supposedly harmless, but leave you feeling rubbished, consider your friend well and truly toxic.

2.They are always miserable or negative

It’s OK to feel a little blue sometimes, but if your friend brings with him/her a constant negative energy, it doesn’t make for a good friendship. If this is the case, perhaps suggest a counsellor and give that person a wide birth for a while.

3.She/He Expects You To Do All The Running

Does your friend expect you to make all the effort? If it’s the 20^th time you’ve arranged to meet and you are the one doing the entire running every time – the relationship is definitely unbalanced. It’s time to question your friend’s values, and if you need this unreasonable situation in your life.

4.She/He Makes Too Many Unreasonable Requests

Are you running around like headless chicken at the click of his/her fingers? Do you find yourself frequently out of pocket, or having to meet consistently high demands, that basically make you feel, well…put on in a big way? Toxic.

5.You Want To Say No, But Feel Forced To Keep Him/Her Happy

You may well be a people pleaser, and find it difficult to just say no. But remember this – the world won’t end if you do – and perhaps your toxic friend will start giving you a bit of respect.

6.They Are Mean

Mean people aren’t true friends. If you’ve had the same mean friend for ages, but you keep the relationship because you have known her for like… forever – it’s time to scrap that train of thought. It is up to you to stand up for yourself, say enough is enough and step away from that toxic ‘pal’.