From the moment we enter this world, one thing is non negotiable: interacting with other people. Right off the bat we are met with our parents and then our siblings and other family members. But as we get older, we branch out from our family members. We make friends. 

Our parents would schedule play dates and we would anxiously await for Friday afternoon when we’d get off the school bus and watch cartoons while playing hot wheels or barbies with our best friends.

We would share secrets and stay up late at sleepovers because we couldn’t stop laughing. Then the next morning when our parents would take us home, we would hide so we could stay longer. 

But then we got to highschool. Needless to say, things got a little bit more complicated. 

All of a sudden life throws schoolwork, sports, drama, popularity, and relationships at us all at once. Now, the once innocent friendship that we have all known has grown into an unrecognizable mess.

People grow, and as we grow, we change. Some people change for the better and some change for the worse. 

Being wrapped up in a toxic friendship isn’t always obvious. Sometimes it’s as simple as being left alone at a party that your “friend” invited you to while they go hang out with someone else. 

You find yourself walking on eggshells around them because everything you say seems to be taken the wrong way. You feel like you constantly have to compete with their other friends to feel good enough for your friend. 

After constantly being put down, isolated and crushed, suddenly the strong support system that you thought you had is nowhere to be found. 

Of course, everyone needs someone to confide in and be supported by, but when you suddenly find that you’re afraid of that person, a line has to be drawn.

A real friend doesn’t expect you to compete for their attention. A real friend won’t ditch you the second that life gets messy. They won’t force you to be afraid to talk to them out of fear of being humiliated.

A real friend tries to be there for you more than you are for them. They won’t embarrass you when you tell them something personal. You shouldn’t feel a lack of trust in the relationship

When dealing with all of the Regina Georges and Gretchen wieners of the world, it is crucial to be able to draw the line between friend and foe. And the distinction between the two is really only one simple question. Who is there when life falls apart?

It’s easy to stick around when things are easy…but what about when they aren’t? Don’t settle for toxicity in friendships. Life is too short.