All friendships start from a mutual exchange. But when it comes to fake friends, they take a lot more than they give. Don’t waste your time with a friend who uses you to their benefit without getting anything in return. Know the signs …
Only talks about themselves
More often than not, fake friends are narcissists. They have trouble forming real connections because they are incredibly focused on themselves. Healthy friendships are about give and take, but a fake friend will take all of your attention and give you nothing in return.
Is an opportunist
Do you have a friend who always makes plans with you and then flakes on them a day later? Watch out—this person may not be a true friend. Instead, she probably compiles three different things to do on any given night, chooses the best one and cancels the other two at the last minute. A good friend will prioritize spending time with you (even if your plans just involve a movie night together at home).
Leans on you constantly for emotional support
Emotionally unstable people do not always make the best friends. While being supportive to your friends is incredibly important—especially if they are struggling with something—fake friends will take advantage of your willingness to listen. They will take you on an emotional roller coaster without any concern for your needs.
Gossips about others
You know what they say about people who gossip about others to you … they are probably gossiping about you to others. Friends who share the juiciest details of some other acquaintance’s life with you do so to create a false sense of closeness. In the end, they shouldn’t be trusted.
They mock you and compliment you at the same time
Fake friends are master manipulators. They know just how to push your buttons by knocking you down and then superficially complimenting you at just the right moment. This creates a vicious cycle where you’re tricked into thinking you need their approval to feel good about yourself, when really they are the ones who are threatening your self-confidence in the first place!
Makes you choose them over your other friends
By now we’ve been over a couple recognizable traits of a fake friend—flakiness, narcissism, neediness, selfishness, (the list goes on …)—but what do these things add up to? The answer is simple—an expectation for you to prioritize them over other people in your life, even when they don’t do the same for you.
Disclaimer: The opinions in this article are the views of the writer.
