Remember that classic song that asked, “Friends…how many of us have them? Friends…the ones we can depend on?”
Well, apparently, Whodini’s question is still valid. According to a new Self magazine poll, 84% of women admit to having a toxic friend.
The survey, which polled 18,000 women, found that although many women have a wonderful circle of friends, most have that one friend who is just…bad.
Perhaps she is always complaining about her job or critical of your dreams. Or maybe he is only concerned about his own needs instead of yours. Whatever the case may be, toxic friendships are, unfortunately, a common occurrence.
According to Self, the top 5 toxic friends are:
• The narcissist: 65% of readers reported having a self-absorbed friend
• The chronic downer: 59% said they had an emotionally-draining friend
• The critic: 55% of respondents admitted to having an overly critical buddy
• The underminer: 45% admitted to having a friend who tries to sabotage them
• The flake 37% said they had an unreliable friend.
What’s really interesting, 33% of survey participants said their toxic friend is also their best friend, while 83% admitted they stayed friends with their toxic person because ending the friendship would just be too difficult to undertake.
If you find yourself with a toxic friend consider this: Does this person add value to your life and make you feel good when you hang out or do you feel drained, angry and annoyed every time you see them? If your feelings about your not-so-positive friend are mostly positive, consider taking steps to mend the friendship. But if dealing with your friend brings up negative feelings, it’s probably time to let them go.
