A healthy friendship should always feel like a safe space where you do not have to filter yourself, a place where you can be authentically yourself. Be free to share your inner thoughts and true feelings without being worried about any judgment.
Good Therapy defines friendship as a close association between two people who are marked by feelings of care, respect, admiration, concern, or even love.
Just like romantic relationships, friendships are complex, they require work and to be nurtured on both ends. If effort does not come from both sides, they unfortunately end in tears and breaking up.
Here are some friendship red flags and types of friends you should consider cutting off in 2023:
The friend who never reaches out
Friendship is a two-way street; you pour in as much as you want to be poured unto you. It is almost impossible for a friendship to work out if only one person is doing all the calling, texting and planning of dates.
The friend who does not support your goals
It is absolutely okay for your friend not to see things the way you do, or even understand your vision. However, it can be quite disheartening when you share goals with your friend, and they choose to not support you especially if you are very supportive in the friendship.
The friend who does not respect your boundaries
If you have that one friend who always facetime you late at night even when you’ve told them you’re going to bed, they might not be respecting your boundaries. You may have to take the leap of communicating your boundaries to your friends first and enforcing them.
The friend who always gaslights you
The Merriam Webster dictionary defines gaslighting as psychological manipulation of a person, usually over an extended period of time. This causes the victim to question the validity of their own thoughts, for example, perception of reality, or memories and typically leads to confusion, loss of confidence and self-esteem, uncertainty of one’s emotional or mental stability, and a dependency on the perpetrator.
If your friend constantly implies that everything’s your fault in a friendship, it might be time to call gaslighting what it is and exit the friendship. Listen to their actions instead of their words if they’re not treating you right while telling you how much they care about you.
Also see: Tips to maintain a healthy relationship in the 21st century
