Cutting toxic friends out of your life doesn't mean that you have to hate them. Instead, it simply means that you have respect for yourself and the knowledge that not all friends are meant to stay. If a friend is emotionally draining and you feel like there is always strain and constant stress in your relationship, then it is time to move on. It is far better for the both of you to go separate ways. If you are trying to determine whether or not your friend is toxic, here are 10 characteristics of an unhealthy friend to help you.
Untrustworthy
You can't trust them with anything. Everything that you tell them always ends up out in the open. They are supposed to be your friend. You should be able to tell them anything without the fear of being exposed.
Disinterested
After a long, bad day, you call your friend to vent. All you want is for them to listen to you, but they constantly try to change the subject to something that interests them. Their disinterest for your problems makes them distance themselves from you.
Unhappy
Their unhappy mood always brings you down. They are always complaining about how terrible their life is. Every time you hang out, they find something to be mad about. Even if you are in a great mood, they will find a way to make you miserable as well.
Drama Queen
Drama is their drive. They live for it. They will always have someone or something to gossip about. It seems like the only thing on their mind is the issues of other people. The reason for this is because when they talk about other people, it makes them feel good about themselves.
Judgmental
They judge everything you do. They always have something to say. It's good to have a friend who is willing to tell you their opinions on things, but their comments and side eyes make you feel weak and useless.
Liar
Every word that comes out of their mouth is a lie. It is so ridiculous that you have come to the point where you don't even bother to call them out anymore.
Stubborn
They are extremely stubborn. They are always right and will never admit when they are wrong. Their obvious stubbornness is completely frustrating.
Greedy
They have selfish desires for anything and everything. They are always unsatisfied with what they have. They always need more. Their greed really gets on your nerves.
Narcissistic
They always find a way to make themselves the center of attention. Their excessive interest and fascination in their personal self-importance effects your friendship for the worse.
Competitive
A little competition is good, but they take it to a whole other level. Everything that you do, they try to one up you. Their jealousy fuels their competitiveness. It's hard for you to ignore it because it always seems that you are competing with each other.
If your bestie has more than half of these traits, it's time to consider letting them go. In the end, it will be hard, but it is important to remember that your toxic friend is holding you back. In order to prosper on your own, you need to cut the weeds, and your toxic friend is the negative energy that is allowing these weeds to overpower your growth.
