Friends are an important part of a fully functioning adult life.
Having a support system you could rely on is crucial to your overall health.
In the case of most people, this system is their group of friends.
Good friends care about you.
They are the shoulders to cry on after a tough day.
But what if your support system isn’t actually supportive?
Loving, caring, and supportive friends can do wonders for your overall mental well-being.
Likewise, toxic friends can emotionally drain you and leave you exhausted.
Toxic friends actively work to put you down constantly.
While the earlier persona is problematic, the latter isn’t necessarily the same.
Spoiler alert: Self-care and self-love are crucial in dealing with a toxic friend.
When a boundary is set, we expect others to respect and adhere to it.
Your boundaries could be around any topic, and need not make sense to everyone.
If a friend continuously breaks the boundaries you set, chances are that they are toxic.
Sometimes, this is a conscious act; on other occasions, this happens unconsciously.
When boundaries are broken, you have to take a stand.
This can mean different things, depending on how you want to go about it.
For starters, you could choose to spend less time with them.
This will provide some much needed self-introspection time for all the parties involved.
They are only concerned about themselves
One-sided friendships are no easy game.
They are emotionally (and sometimes, physically) draining.
A friendship should be equally beneficial to all the parties involved.
Another sign is when you are confused about your position in their life.
Sometimes, this behavior stems from the friend being unaware of your feelings.
In such cases, having an open conversation with the friend can preserve your friendship.
This can be a huge problem among friend groups, regardless of age.
Be honest about how their behavior affects you, share your boundaries, and assert them strictly.
Setting clear boundaries and expectations for yourself is as important as setting them for others.
They dump their feelings on you
Lending your support to a friend in need is emotional labor.
Not everyone has this availability at all times.
Emotional labor involves managing your own emotions to deal with a task at hand.
Alternatively, you’re free to provide a later date to follow up.
According toHealthline, confronting a narcissist rarely works out.
When dealing with a narcissist, having a support system (and clear boundaries) is crucial.
It is also vital to not let them affect your self-esteem.
Engage in positive self-talk and have a self-care routine.
Also, understand that narcissists require professional help.
If the relationship gets abusive, move on.
Start by creating “energetic boundaries.”
Alternatively, you’re free to make it clear that their hurtful words or actions aren’t acceptable.
This can help you remain energetically neutral without letting their words or actions cut or affect you."
They are jealous of your other friends
Jealousy is a pretty common human emotion.
Hence, it is important to identify the signs of jealousy in a friend or even in yourself.
Left unchecked, this withdrawal can proceed to backhanded, passive-aggressive jabs.
While dealing with jealousy, it is important not to downplay your success.
“Being pitied reinforces a person’s sense of powerlessness,” says spiritual leader Gabrielle Bernstein.
As Dr. Ho explains, not all jealous friends need to be extricated from your life.
“Our brains encode specific things in our memories stronger than others.
Friends are the folks we love, serving as our support systems.
Ideally, the prospect of hanging out or connecting with them should make you happy.
This will enable you to decide whether to salvage your friendship or distance yourself.
It can also lead to problems in your other existing relationships.
In such situations, it is important to treat yourself with kindness and grace.
Oftentimes, such signs of emotional manipulation go unnoticed.
The trauma responses to emotional manipulation can be long-lasting.
If you are in an emotionally abusive friendship, it is wise to cut that friend off completely.
