One of the most popular internet searches, especially for adolescents today, is “How to determine whether a friendship is toxic?”
Memories, time spent together, and a sense of belonging are all factors that tend to manipulate naive minds, reducing their ability to gauge their friendships’ toxicity. Companionship is a north star in this unpredictable pandemic, guiding us through this strange situation with rays of hope. But when does a friend do more harm than good?
Toxicity in friendships is an unfortunate state of a friendship, and it strongly signals the deterioration of a bond. It may sound simplistic, but when you are expected to change yourself for the sake of someone else’s approval, your relationship tends to descend into a state of unresolved feelings and toxicity. Too much of anything can be hazardous, such as one-sided love and lack of mutual respect, among others.
In addition to this, being pressured into participating in situations you aren’t comfortable with doesn’t resonate with true friendship. There’s a fine line between friends who push you out of your comfort zone to be your best self and those who deliberately put you in a situation that will be detrimental for you. We often try to justify the behaviors of those who we have known for a long time. We make excuses for their inexcusable behavior, even though we deserve much more than what they are putting us through. The epitome of toxicity is when the opposite person makes you feel inferior about who you are or how you look.
Treasuring friendships and making efforts are things that we must do, but it is vital to find the right people, people who will always treat you with respect and love. You are enough, and you deserve love, so never let any toxic friendships make you forget that.
