Throughout our lives we meet and connect with people who are both good and bad for our emotional health. From the good bunch, we can hold onto them and trust them throughout all times in our life, and from the bad, it’s important to weed them out. A toxic friendship can have serious effects on your wellbeing. When the time is right, it is important to make the right move.
You’re Exhausted After Hanging Out
If you’ve had a day with a friend, and it leaves you feeling exhausted both emotionally and physically, it may be a sign that your relationship is not benefitting you. Feeling tired after hanging out with someone is normal, but feeling like you are strained mentally is not. Take a few steps back to truly decipher whether your post-hangout exhaustion is your standard ‘feeling tired,’ or something more serious.
It’s Totally One Sided
There’s nothing that’ll tell you more if your friendship is toxic than how one sided it is. Whether it’s you always putting in the effort, or them constantly talking about themselves only, both play a huge role in a friendship that is not meant to be. It’s essential that you stay in tune to yourself to understand if your needs are being met. It will aid you in figuring out how one sided the friendship is. Stop crossing oceans for people who don’t jump puddles for you.
You Feel Intimidated By Them
This is a super obvious sign of a toxic relationship. If you are feeling like they intimidate you, and feel as if they are above you, it may be time to really think about your relationship. Friendships are not supposed to be scary, nor are they really supposed to be a challenge. If you’re feeling intimidated by a friend, or as if you’re below them, listen to your mind and body. Understand what you feel when you’re around them. Your gut instincts are usually right.
You Can’t Stand Seeing Them Come Up On Your Phone
This is something so many of us go through and don’t even realise it’s a problem. You hate when they show up on your phone. Calls, texts or Facebook messages, your first instinct is to ignore it and pretend you’re busy. Making any excuse NOT to talk to them should tell you a lot about the kind of friendship you’re hanging on to. It’s okay to not feel like talking to a friend sometimes, but if you’re ignoring someone on a regular basis or feeling anxious about picking up their call, it may be time to make big changes.
If you’re struggling to make changes all on your own, it is extremely helpful to talk to someone you trust, whether it’s your family, friends, or a trusted professional. They may be able to help you gain an outside perspective and make the step towards altering a toxic friendship. It’s important to take the right steps to protect your emotional and mental health.
