Let’s take a look at these signs, shall we?
1. “Putting you down just to raise themselves up higher.”
2. “Not communicating about their emotions in any capacity. If they are constantly putting you down, it’s to try to make you feel small because they do.”
3. “When you talk about yourself, they quickly turn it around to them. They spend most of your conversations dominating them. They don’t congratulate you when good things happen for you, or ask anything about it.”
4. “Going silent rather than congratulating you over any success.”
5. “They put you in a competition with them that you did not willingly enter, nor can you escape.”
6. “When they act like life is a competition – like negative people trying to 1 up how “worse” they have it if you complain of a bad day. Guilting you to do things for her like helping talk to people, borrowing tops, things that they trust you to do more than themselves. And finally, picking on you for very small things because that means they don’t have any actual basis to pick on you for, just spitting out nasty comments for goofy things.”
7. “When they try to encourage or influence you to do things that detriment your character. Things like trying to get you to cheat or do other stupid and selfish things that you normally wouldn’t do.”
8. “I chose not to have sex or date in my early 20s and I had this friend that was always making me feel bad about it. I was a little self-conscious about it but it sucked because I confided in her and I was outed by her in front of others. She was always trying to get me to hook up, “I have this friend who’s also a v”, ” you’re kind of a freak”, etc. Shut the fuck up.”
9. “They amplify your flaws (how you look, if you don’t know something, etc) and minimize your accomplishments. They gossip behind your back and spread lies, which causes others to think negatively about you as well until you become the butt of the joke. They give you intentionally bad advice, hoping that you will fail or end up less successful than them.”
10. “I had a former BFF who would constantly want to know every detail of mine and my now-ex’s business. Finally realized that it wasn’t because she cared about me but it was just so she’d have something to talk about. Be cautious of jealousy masked as a concern when they talk about your business when you’re not around and don’t defend your name when aren’t there either. But I have to admit dropping her was one of the best things I’ve ever done.”
11. “Their inability to be happy for me or anyone else for that matter.”
12. “Refusing or weaselling out of ways to help you when you need help. This is common with people who will only stick by your side when they can feel superior to you.”