What am I getting out of the friendship?

Sometimes you can only give so much until you start to feel like you are being taken advantage of. If you end up feeling like burden to them, then that is a very unhealthy relationship. The most important thing in a friendship is being there when they need you. That needs to be a mutual priority for both people in the friendship.

Do I feel used?

A friendship where you feel used is one that usually hardest to get out of, especially if you are a people-pleaser. You never want to get to the point where you are in an endless black hole of never being good enough and always trying to prove your worth to your friend. Make sure that the positives overrule the negatives in your friendship.

Are things always about them?

If they just use you as a venting machine and don’t really care what is going on in your life, that’s not a friend—that’s life coach or a therapist. A person that always talks abut themselves demonstrates insecurity and that is absolutely dangerous in a friendship.

Can I be who I genuinely am in front of this person and not feel judged?

Acceptance is one of the most vital characteristics you can have in a friendship. No one is perfect, so remind yourself of that when you disagree with what your friends do. Acceptance does not mean always agreeing with everyone it means learning to support others even when you disagree, because they are an extension of us, and we must love ourselves.

Am I putting up with things because it has started to feel normal?

Am I scared that no one else would really want to be my friend? On the other hand of acceptance, acknowledge that you get what you accept. Acknowledge the way that friend makes you feel—do they encourage you or belittle you? You do not have to stay friends with someone because you are scared that you won't have friends after. It is better to be lonely and happy rather than popular and sad.