Some friends in your life will come and go. It's important to know who is truly there for you and who is only toxically there for you. Here are some signs that can help you determine if you need some new friends who will actually support you and care about you in the way that you deserve.
1. They only talk about themselves
Good friends ask you how you are doing and are genuinely interested in what's going on in your life. They want to know how you solved that problem you told them about a week ago or if you have any plans for the rest of the week. If your friends only keep talking about themselves and don't ask you once about your life, they may not care about you the same way you care about them.
2. They are not reliable
True friends stick by your side during the happiest moments and during the saddest moments in your life. If your friend has an excuse every time you invite them to your birthday party or cancels the brunch date you planned during the last minute, you are obviously not their priority. If they cannot prioritize you in the same way you prioritize them, they are not a true friend.
3. They are not loyal
As much as it's important to look out for yourself, is it also important to defend those who are important to you. If your friend does not stick up for you when you need them the most, you need to question whether they really care about you. If your friend cancels on your plans for their boyfriend or girlfriend every single time, you need to reevaluate your friendship because you are obviously not important enough to them.
4. They constantly compete with you
Healthy competition between friends is always great because it pushes both of you to be better. However, if you tell your friend about the guy you started dating and instead of asking about him, they talk about the 10 guys they have a chance with, your "friend" is probably trying to steal your spotlight and outdo you.
5. They only reach out to you when they need you
There is a difference between being a friend to someone and being a user. I, myself, had to deal with people who would only text me "Omg hey what's up?" only to ask me a favor three texts later. Those are the same kinds of people who would make plans with you and pretend to enjoy spending time with you only because they need help with that chemistry lab or that calculus homework. Those are not your friends, those are people who take advantage of you and who you need to cancel from your life ASAP.
