Friends are traditional mutual relationships between two or more people. Friends can share similar interests, hobbies, jobs, ect. Friends are traditionally unique intimate relationships. These types of relationships can have an impact, both good and bad, on people of all ages but particularly adolescents.
According to PMC or PubMed Central, there was a study “measuring friendship quality during early and pre-adolescence found that individuals involved in a ‘mutual friendship’ relation show high well being than those without one.” Not only is the well being higher, it has also been proven that people who have friends, have a slight protection against depressive symptoms. Adolescents with friends report “feeling happier on average and having a greater self-esteem.”
However, having a friendship with some people could have negative effects on people. Toxic friendships are not healthy. Toxic friends will often cause stress, and even a negative self-image. These people can make you feel worse about yourself than what you already do, or they could start insecurity. They will question your abilities, point out flaws, and degrade you. This constant degrading could lead to self-doubt, make you question your self-worth. Due to the ‘friendship’ that was made, you think that you can trust this person to make you easily believe them, and in result make it hard to end the friendship. However they do not have to degrade you to be a toxic friend. It is a simple as leaving you out of a conversation, spending time with your friend group without ever mentioning it to you, or even as simple as ignoring you for no reason.
To avoid these toxic friendships, you can ask yourself a couple questions.
- Do you laugh around them?
- Do you feel like you can be yourself around them?
- After spending time with them, do you feel uneasy, uncertain or anxious?
- Do you start thinking badly about yourself after spending time with them?
- Are you sadder with them than by yourself?
If your answers do not line up with a classic friend definition, that friendship may be toxic. You deserve a friend that loves and respects you, and enjoys your company. Do not settle for less than what you deserve.
