By Abby Heugel
No friendship is perfect and you’re going to have ups and downs. But if you find that certain people seem to bring on unpleasant behavior on a consistent basis — and take it out on you more and more often — you might be dealing with a toxic friend.
1. The Victim
This friend is emotionally draining because everything is surrounded by the drama that he creates. When you try to be supportive and help him, you find he’s more interested in sympathy instead of suggestions.
2. The Judge
Instead of being supportive of things you do, he casts a curtain of judgment. From condescending comments about your workout routine or haircut to disapproving looks at the person you date, nothing ever lives up to his high expectations.
3. The Wishy-Washer
What do you want to do? I don’t care, what do you want to do? He’s indecisive about everything from what you should do for Guy’s Night to bigger decisions in his life, looking to others for validation and advice on what he should do.
4. The Interrupter
You can never finish a story because he will interrupt, add in his opinion, and then somehow steer the conversation towards him. Most of the time it feels like he’s looking more for an audience than a friend.
5. The One-Upper
It doesn’t matter what you’ve done, he’s already done it and probably done it better than you — at least in his own mind. He will be supportive if it’s something he’s not interested in, but otherwise, he will downplay your achievements as less-than his own.
6. The Bad Boy
You can go out and have fun once in awhile, but he always tried to get you to do things you’re uncomfortable doing and you wouldn’t trust him around your significant other.
7. Mr. Popularity
He’s superficially popular in that people think his sarcasm and jokes can be funny, but at times he also veers into being mean. It makes you wonder what he says about you, especially because he only contacts you when he needs something because his ego is bigger than his bond to you.
8. The People Pleaser
Instead of giving you an honest opinion and offering helpful and constructive advice and support, instead, he’ll say anything you want to hear for fear he’ll upset you in some way.
9. The Score Keeper
Friendship should be a give-and-take, but he always reminds you of every favor he’s ever done for you in addition to every time you weren’t able to drop everything and tend to whatever he needs.
10. The Friend You’ve Known Forever
This is the friend that you’ve known since high school and he continues to live in the past. You treasure the memories that you have but you’ve outgrown each other and don’t have much in common anymore, justifying the relationship with, “But we’ve known each other forever.”
But there’s a moment where you have to ask yourself if your age-old relationship has become toxic and whether it’s holding you back more than moving you forward.
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This article originally appeared on YourTango. For more like this from YourTango, try:
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- 18 Ways To Know FOR SURE Whether Your Friendship Is Turning Into Romance
- It’s OK To Let A Friendship End — It Means You’re Growing