Whether you have a group of friends or just three, friendships are incredibly important as they shape who we are. Through the good, the bad and the ugly, friends are there to support us in between the moments you share when you’re laughing over an inside joke or crying over a heartbreak. Some friends can become part of your family and more often than not, they actually know you better than you know yourself. But just like there can be unhealthy romantic relationships, unhealthy friendships also exist and you may be in one, so here are some signs your friendship is becoming toxic.
The signs your friendship is becoming toxic rather than fun is when you’re both arguing.This may seem like an obvious one but if you’re both arguing frequently, this is when it becomes a problem. You will find that you’re both arguing over insignificant things and when you do argue, your friend always believes that they are in the right and fails to consider your point of view or feelings. Constant arguing can contribute to a very tense atmosphere this can lead to you feeling like you’re treading on egg shells around your friend which sees you purposely trying to avoid confrontation.
One of the signs your friendship is becoming toxic is when jealousy occurs. While it’s normal for people to get jealous from time to time, when jealousy takes over a friend it can be detrimental to not only your friendship but to you as a person. Being jealous of your other friends or your significant other can lead to this person holding a grudge against them and acting incredibly bitchy towards them, most of the time for no reason at all other than the fact that they are also important to you and play a part in your life. This jealousy can lead to your friend becoming possessive and getting angry when you spend time with anyone but them.
One of the important signs your friendship is becoming toxic is when you’re being forced to do things that you don’t want to do. Peer pressure can be a significant factor when this happens, you may find yourself feeling as though you have something to prove and you’re scared that if you don’t follow through, your friend might think differently of you. You will begin to feel like you’re being pushed into a corner but you go along with it anyway even if what they are asking of you makes you feel incredibly uncomfortable.
One of the signs your friendship is becoming toxic is when you’re turning into a different person. Your friend has influenced your behaviour in a negative way and you’re doing things that the old you would never do. While this often happens subconsciously as you are unaware that you have changed, those around you have noticed and don’t like the new you.
Another one of the signs your friendship is becoming toxic is when you realise that your friend is a full time gossip. We all love a gossip but if a friend lives for gossiping about others, what’s to say that they are not gossiping about you too? Your so called friend may be sharing your secrets with others or be spreading rumours that are completely fabricated to anyone who will listen.
If a friendship is ultimately making you upset or frustrated it may be time for things to change by either removing them from your life or by being honest with your friend and telling them how you feel in the hope of making a difference to the way things currently are in your friendship. Calling time on a friendship can be difficult, if you have mutual friends, the thought of how difficult it will be to interact and carry on as normal with these friends worries you – will the ending of this friendship affect your other friendships, will some of these friends take a side and will you be left with nothing.
If this mini intervention backfires or just doesn’t work, at least you can say that you tried to help and did your part as a friend. In time, it is likely they will realise that the friendship they’re in isn’t a good one and you will be there to pick up the pieces.
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