6 types of friends with whom you better cut off all communication
Which friends are better to stop communicating with (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
Some friendships can drain our energy and bring negativity into our lives. Learn about six types of friends who may subconsciously harm you and how to break these ties to make room for genuine support and harmony.
Never truly happy for you
You’ll only hear kind words from her when something bad happens to you, and even then, they carry a tone of schadenfreude. Happy events in your life, whether it’s a promotion or a successful date, will only ruin her mood.
At best, she’ll ignore your success; at worst, she’ll try to bring you down with sarcastic comments. It seems that jealousy and insecurity matter more to her than friendship.
Gives ambiguous compliments
"Finally, you did your hair well!" "That coat looks great on you, lucky you found your size." "You have such a carefree life: no obligations, no responsibilities."
At first, it seems like a compliment, but in reality, it's a subtle insult. This is passive aggression, hiding negativity behind pleasant words. Do you want to keep investing energy in this relationship?
Surrounded by negativity
It’s not necessarily about you - it’s just her general outlook on life. Even when everything is going well, she sees it as a sign that something is about to go wrong.
Calling herself a realist, she believes it’s better not to dream and instead prepare for disappointment: the discounted dress will soon fall apart, and the theater tickets on sale will be in the worst seats.
Instead of offering useful advice, she only broadcasts negativity. If you keep interacting with her, you might start viewing the world through the same gloomy lens.
Constantly cancels plans
Five minutes before the meeting, she hasn’t even left the house and is already saying she doesn't feel like going. And this is after you’ve been planning a shopping trip all week. Or she cancels the concert tickets you’ve been excited to attend together.
Of course, sometimes there are valid reasons, but if this happens regularly, it’s clear she’s ignoring her commitments to others. In such cases, it’s better not to waste your time on her - there’s just too little of it to spare.
Competes with you
This friend is often considered your rival, as there is more competition than genuine support in your relationship. For every success of yours, she quickly counters with two of her own. If she doesn’t have any, she starts working hard to surpass you, only to later say, "Well, I…"
Psychologists claim that while success can be motivating, relationships based on rivalry are doomed. It’s difficult to maintain a connection with someone who tries to elevate themselves at your expense.
Suddenly disappears from your life
A year ago, it seemed like this friendship would last forever, but today, she’s moved to another country, then another, and barely stays in touch, responding to your messages only occasionally.
You might believe she’s still your friend, but when you meet in person, it may turn out that she feels like a stranger, and you have nothing to talk about.
It can be a tough loss, but life is cyclical, and as it changes, so do you and your circle of friends.
The sources used in the preparation of this article include Psychology Today, CNBC, and Medium.
