Bad friends

Expert advice on how to spot your own potentially toxic behavior and what to do about it.

When you need to move on from a bad friend

Not all friendships are meant to last forever, at some point in your life, you may need to move on from a friend for various reasons. When you have mutual friends or acquaintances they will ask what happened and why aren’t you friends with so and so anymore. If you go around badmouthing your old friend, you are the one who will look a jerk no matter what your friend did.

While a friend’s narcissistic qualities may not be obvious early on (you may even find them to be selfless and complimentary), these friendships often turn one-sided, conflictual, territorial, and sometimes aggressive. Narcissistic friends seek out constant praise, prioritize their own needs, lack empathy, have high expectations of their friends, and often