After forming many short-term friendships and only sustaining a few long-term ones, I've learned an important lesson: never give more than you take.

I often find myself putting others' needs ahead of my own, as well as pouring myself into friendships that aren't always reciprocated. Consequentially, this has drained me emotionally and has often been a waste of my time.

While it is important to be considerate of others, it's even more important to make sure that a friendship is beneficial to both parties. Friends should always support and uplift each other — it should never be a one-way street.

Your time and compassion are important in a friendship and you deserve the same effort given back to you.

If you feel like you're always giving more in a friendship or relationship than you're taking out of it, then you need to quit this tendency. Here's a list of four reasons why.

1. Your friend doesn't really care about you or your feelings

Let's be honest, if your friend isn't constantly putting in the same amount of effort as you into the relationship, then they most likely don't actually care about you at all. True friends will be there for you through anything and everything.

2. It's a toxic relationship

For the sake of your mental health, it's important to cut off toxic relationships and friendships that are doing more harm to you than good. There are better people out there who will want to sustain a healthy and thriving friendship with you.

3. You will eventually explode

Speaking from experience, bottling in my emotions and anger towards a friendship has led me to explode with rage. Save yourself the embarrassment and energy, and either communicate your concerns to your friend or learn to let them go.

4. You deserve way better

You deserve a friend who will do absolutely anything to make you feel happy, loved and appreciated. In fact, you probably put your friends first and do whatever it takes to prove your loyalty to them. Why waste your time on someone who wouldn't do the same for you?