How to Detox a Friendship
Take a moment to reflect over your friendship., Taking all of your feelings into account, decide how you feel about attempting to salvage the friendship.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Take a moment to reflect over your friendship.
If the friendship feels toxic where once it felt fantastic, try to pinpoint what doesn't feel right about it anymore.
Some indicators of emotional "toxicity" in a friendship include:
Feeling down or even depressed when your friend is about.No longer getting excited to see your friend, seeing them has become something you feel obliged to endure.
You feel that your friend always talks about themselves, even when it's clear you need a shoulder to cry on.Your friend's set of values and their ambitions seem to have changed a great deal from yours, to the extent where you don't see eye to eye on most things anymore.
Have you discovered that your friend gave you bad advice on purpose?It can be just as bad if your friend is always agreeing with you without caring about the consequences because he or she cannot be bothered to set you straight.
It seems that your friend only "needs" you when he or she has bad news to share.It feels as if your friend is using you as a means to make herself or himself feel better by belittling you.Your friend has taken to criticizing you all the time or being judgmental about your choices and decisions without cause.
Rumors started by your friend (confirmed by others) have reached your ears.
Your friend has taken to dropping you in a mess at the last moment, hindering your progress, or has become really unreliable and won't follow through on promises made to you, time and again.You feel manipulated, demeaned, poisoned, or downplayed by your friend.Consider what other behaviors or attitudes have lead you to feeling sour about your friendship together. -
Step 2: Taking all of your feelings into account
It is important to reach a decision as to whether or not you're comfortable trying to detox the friendship, or whether a better bet would be let it go.
Even if you do give detoxing a chance, the end result might be that you still need to let go, so be prepared for this possibility in all events.
When considering the worth of trying to detox your friendship, the following things are worth keeping in mind:
The duration of your friendship together and all the good times you've shared.
Whether you have to continue seeing your friend in a work or social context.
The openness of your friend to discussing feelings, behavior and to accepting that he or she isn't right all the time.
Some people remain adamant that they are right, no matter what you say, that they can prove to be impossible when it comes to opening your heart or reasoning with them.
Other issues going on in your friend's life that may have affected his or her outlook on life. -
Step 3: decide how you feel about attempting to salvage the friendship.
Detailed Guide
If the friendship feels toxic where once it felt fantastic, try to pinpoint what doesn't feel right about it anymore.
Some indicators of emotional "toxicity" in a friendship include:
Feeling down or even depressed when your friend is about.No longer getting excited to see your friend, seeing them has become something you feel obliged to endure.
You feel that your friend always talks about themselves, even when it's clear you need a shoulder to cry on.Your friend's set of values and their ambitions seem to have changed a great deal from yours, to the extent where you don't see eye to eye on most things anymore.
Have you discovered that your friend gave you bad advice on purpose?It can be just as bad if your friend is always agreeing with you without caring about the consequences because he or she cannot be bothered to set you straight.
It seems that your friend only "needs" you when he or she has bad news to share.It feels as if your friend is using you as a means to make herself or himself feel better by belittling you.Your friend has taken to criticizing you all the time or being judgmental about your choices and decisions without cause.
Rumors started by your friend (confirmed by others) have reached your ears.
Your friend has taken to dropping you in a mess at the last moment, hindering your progress, or has become really unreliable and won't follow through on promises made to you, time and again.You feel manipulated, demeaned, poisoned, or downplayed by your friend.Consider what other behaviors or attitudes have lead you to feeling sour about your friendship together.
It is important to reach a decision as to whether or not you're comfortable trying to detox the friendship, or whether a better bet would be let it go.
Even if you do give detoxing a chance, the end result might be that you still need to let go, so be prepared for this possibility in all events.
When considering the worth of trying to detox your friendship, the following things are worth keeping in mind:
The duration of your friendship together and all the good times you've shared.
Whether you have to continue seeing your friend in a work or social context.
The openness of your friend to discussing feelings, behavior and to accepting that he or she isn't right all the time.
Some people remain adamant that they are right, no matter what you say, that they can prove to be impossible when it comes to opening your heart or reasoning with them.
Other issues going on in your friend's life that may have affected his or her outlook on life.
About the Author
Jack King
Jack King specializes in technology and innovation and has been creating helpful content for over 4 years. Jack is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
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