If your friend has been in a "psychotic relationship" at one point, chances are the "psychotic-ness" doesn’t stop when (and if) they break up.

I don’t know why exactly, but some of my friends are attracted to the crazy ones: ones who are stage-5 clingers, ones that are emotionally abusive, ones that are manipulators and liars, ones who yell and scream, ones who blame me for everything bad that has happened in their relationship, and ones that say, “I love you” after a few weeks of dating. There’s nothing I can do to stop these ridiculous relationships from forming because, after all, as Viola phrased it in “She’s the Man”: "I’m just a completely objective third-party observer with absolutely no personal interest in the matter" … not.

So you sit back and watch the mind games ensue. You hold back the "I told you so"' and the "how have you not broken up with him yet" and live your life as the miserable third wheel until they break up.

Lucky for you, I’ve been down this road before (too many times for my liking). Here’s what will happen when their ex is still a psycho after the break-up:

There will be a lot of tears. Tears you’ll feel frustrated with wiping off your shoulder, but your friend’s tears all the same. You won’t be able to understand what she’s going through because you have seen the psycho-ness through unbiased eyes. Just remember she’s “blinded by love.” Ugh.

There will be texts or calls saying that you’re the problem with their relationship. I usually laugh at the effort they took to try to pin their failures on me, but know they are frustrated and psycho and are willing to yell at someone who isn’t your friend. Take it with a grain of salt and relish in the fact the ex is proving every point you made of him being a psychopath.

Your friend will tell you she’s busy, but is actually talking to him. You’ll know when she’s home later and crying for “no reason.”

If you and your friend see him out, there will be drama. Tread with caution. A psycho ex doesn’t act normal or like he doesn’t see you and your friend. He will come up to you and ask why you’re here, who you came with, when you’re leaving, if you have a date, to leave all together -- you know, the usual psycho things for an ex to say.

You’ll get a text from him asking where your friend is. Do not tell him. Why would you tell a psychopath where your friend is?

You’ll be in a position to defend your friend all day, every day. Her ex will call your friend a plethora of names, they’ll be psycho in public, they’ll spread rumors, and your visceral friend-instincts will kick in to defend her. You’ll probably get yelled at in the meantime by the ex or your friend for stepping in, but know they are secretly grateful for your backup.

At the end of the day, know nothing you say to your friend or her ex will stop the psycho-ness. Sometimes I feel like a broken record, giving advice that will never be taken. It’s not up to you to fix their broken relationship, so, as hard as it might seem, you’re just going to have to deal with the fact that your friend’s ex is a psychopath and your friend is a little crazy for dating such a guy.

The Circle of Life keeps on spinning, and maybe one day that ex will grow out of his psycho ways and will become someone pleasant. Or maybe you’ll realize it was your friend’s fault for making him psycho. Either way, your friend will know how you stuck by her side from relationship to breakup, and will be forever grateful. And that’s all that really matters.

And when the time comes that I have a psycho ex (God forbid) — actually wait, after all this, I won’t.