A “toxic friend” is defined as a friend who contaminates our social life with destructive or negative behavior. The top eight toxic friend profiles can be found below, along with ways to handle each one.
1. The Bubble-Burster
This friend is always there with bad news to counter any good news you might have. Getting married? She happens to have the average national divorce rates memorized. Also known as Debbie Downer or The Wet Blanket. This friend is unnecessary in all situations, but if immediate disposal is not an option, try limiting conversations with her, especially where news-sharing is concerned. Keep your happy news to yourself when she’s around and it will magically stay happy.
2. The One-Upper
This friend likes to fancy herself well-rounded or an overachiever, but she mostly lives to make others feel inferior. Mention an upcoming trip to Aspen, and you’ll soon learn about her family cabin there, not to mention her countless medals and trophies for skiing. The best thing to do with people like this is ignore them. They crave approval, expecting people to envy them, and nothing will slow their nauseating self-congratulations like ambivalence. No matter how impressive their stories are, keep reactions minimal and they’ll stop finding the thrill in overshadowing you.
3. The Employer
You might as well be on this friend’s payroll for all the wingwoman duties you perform. You break up with guys for her, never outdress her, and even carry on obligatory conversations with a guy so she can chat up his hot friend. Playing second fiddle is never fun and can cause serious damage to your self-esteem. Relationships like these are draining and she’ll just have to survive without you for a weekend. You have other friends, don’t you? Call them. She’ll likely be threatened, but this is because she is insecure. You don’t need her permission.
4. The Predator
Never leave a boyfriend, boss, or even new friend alone with this social life stealer. The Predator just cannot help wanting what others have and cannot be trusted with the special people in your life. Introduce her to your new man and before you know it, she’s sitting a little too close. Made a new friend? Keep them apart or she’ll be punching their numbers into her phone. Don’t even think about letting her meet your boss: she’ll be strolling the halls of your office in no time and hogging the boss’s attention! If you have one of these bandits in your life, treat your social life like an expensive car in a bad neighborhood—locked up tight!
