Fake Friends Signs – 7 Clear Signals That Reveal There’s A Fake Friend In Your Circle
Fake Friends Signs – 7 Clear Signals That Reveal There’s A Fake Friend In Your Circle
They shine like gold on the outside…inside – wicked, rotten to the core. Fake friends stab you in the back and then ask why you are bleeding.
These people are only interested in what they can get out of you. They keep you around for their own benefits.
And you want to slap them but don’t know which cheek first. They are in your circle of friends. They’re fake.
Recognizing a fake friend can sometimes be difficult. So, to help you spot this wolf in a sheep’s clothing, in what follows, we’ve presented 7 telltale signs that show there’s a fake friend in your circle. We’ve also explained how to deal with a fake friend and recognize a toxic one. So, without further ado, let’s get to it.
What Are The Most Common Signs Of A Fake Friend?
1. They Use You, Then, Disappear
A fake friend will call you for a cup of coffee only when they have nobody else to go out with. They want a company? -They’ll message you. They need some money? – Expect them at your door.
They’ll be with you only and only when they have an interest. Then, when you need them-bam…they disappear! No messages. No calls. Silence. Even a detective can’t find them!
Don’t expect help from a fake friend. They’ll never help you. Moreover, they’ll make you feel guilty by making you think you said or did something wrong to them.
2. They See You As A Punching Bag
Who is an ear and a helping hand? – You. Who is the best advisor? – Of course, you are. A fake friend knows they can lean on you. They know you have an ability to empathize.
Therefore, they’ll use you as a crying pillow and punching bag for releasing their worries, complaints, difficulties, and frustrations.
And they will not care. They will not care about how their negative vibes overwhelm your body and soul. They won’t care at all.
3. They Are Never Happy For You
They will adore you…until you get better than them. Then, jealousy starts biting their heart. It goes to the very core, making them unable to be happy for others.
A fake friend neither knows how to empathize nor how to share. They know how to contribute to your downfall, however. Simply because they are so self-centered.
A fake friend thinks they are the best and know everything. They think the whole world revolves around them. There’s no place for you in their world…until they need something from you.
4. They Want You To Think The Way They Think
If you aren’t their reflection in the mirror, a fake friend will teach you how to be their copy. Nevertheless, you’ll never be able to reach their magnificence!
A fake friend will always impose their opinions on you during a conversation. Moreover, they’ll be stubborn to make you accept them as always truthful and right.
If you try to express your own thoughts and feelings, they will get offended as they never accept what’s different from their opinions.
5. They Won’t Forgive You
You may be the best person, the best friend on this planet, but if you try to tell them the truth about their behavior – they will consider it an attack.
Do you want to tell them something for their own good? Go on. A fake person won’t speak to you again! Ever.
A fake friend will always ask for an opinion, but they’ll never accept it. They won’t forgive your mistakes. They won’t forgive even your wish to help them.
6. They Don’t Keep Your Secrets
A fake friend doesn’t know how to keep their mouth shut. They enjoy rumors, scandals, and secrets that entertain.
Even before you open your mouth, you’ll hear many talking trash about you. What’s more ironic, this fake friend will never admit it’s because of them.
Not only will they pretend it’s not their fault, but they’ll also never apologize; Moreover, they’ll continue spreading rumors about other people, including you.
7. They Pretend They Like You
They wear so many masks! When you are with them, they express their love; When you are not around, they use the opportunity to tell everybody how much they hate you.
A fake friend is a dangerous creature! More dangerous than your enemy is!
Life is too short for fake friends. Kick them out of your life!
You don’t need another drop in the ocean of fake people.
Who Are Toxic Friends?
Friends help make life easier, happier, and more meaningful. They bring a sense of fulfillment into your life and keep you from feeling lonely.
Unfortunately, some friendships might completely have the opposite effect on you and your life. Such friendships emotionally harm you, bring you down, and drain you mentally. Such friendships are toxic.
The tricky thing is that it can sometimes be hard to recognize that you’re dealing with a toxic friend since your love for them can blind you to their toxicity and the negative ways they influence your life. So, to help you identify a toxic friend, in what follows, we’ve presented 10 tips on recognizing friends who make you feel drained and miserable rather than happy.
1. They Make You Feel Uncomfortable
When you are around a real friend, you’re supposed to feel free and comfortable expressing your opinions and feelings. But you don’t feel this way when you’re around a toxic friend.
Perhaps they lose their temper and shout at you over insignificant stuff, such as not returning something they lent you. Then, the next minute, they behave like everything is fine. So, if you have a friend that constantly makes you feel like you have to walk on eggshells when they’re around, take this as a sign they’re not a good friend.
2. They Put You Down
Of course, it’s normal for friends to joke with each other and even make jokes at each other’s expense, particularly if that’s making everyone laugh.
However, when a friend regularly criticizes you, makes snide or sarcastic comments about your physical appearance, achievements, family, or problems, or insults you, this is a sure sign your friendship is toxic.
3. They Make You Feel Unsettled
Spending time with a good, loyal friend is supposed to make you feel happy, content, calm, and relaxed. But if instead of feeling this way, you feel mentally and emotionally drained, upset, or just uneasy when you’re around a certain friend, even if you can’t explain why this is so, they’re likely a toxic friend.
4. They Gossip
You shared an intimate secret with a friend, and the next day, half the town knows the details.
Of course, anyone can make a mistake and unintentionally say things they shouldn’t. However, toxic friends enjoy betraying secrets even when you share personal information with them in confidence.
So, if you have a friend that constantly lets others in on your secrets, breaks your trust, and talks behind your back, you can take this as a sign that they’re toxic.
5. They Don’t Accept You For Who You Really Are
A true friend understands that you have your own insecurities, fears, annoying habits, and flaws just like everybody else, and they accept you just the way you are – with all your weaknesses and imperfections.
If there’s something you’d like to change about yourself, you can ask for their help or advice on that, and they might encourage you and support you to do that. However, they’ll likely wait for you to ask for their help rather than telling you what you should change about yourself. Toxic friends do the opposite.
6. They Don’t Apologize Sincerely
If a genuine and loyal friend has said or done something that hurt your feelings, they won’t be hesitant to admit that, apologize to you, and try to make it up to you somehow. They’ll be willing to accept responsibility for their actions. This is something a toxic friend would never do.
If you call a toxic friend out on their behavior, they’ll either ignore you or tell you something like, “I’m sorry I told you those things, but I was just joking.” They’d never admit their mistakes or hurt your feelings. And when a person doesn’t apologize to you sincerely, this is a clear sign they don’t care what effect their behavior has on you.
7. They Compare You To Others
Do you have a friend that often points out that you’re different from their other friends and that hanging out with you would be more interesting if you behaved more like X or dressed more like Y?
The thing is that we all have unique traits that make us special and different from the rest, and a real friend will always be aware of that. They won’t make you feel like you’re less than others or expect you to behave like someone you’re not and never will be.
8. They Demand All Your Attention
Regardless of how much you love and care about a friend, you can’t fulfill every emotional need they have or spend time with them 24/7. However, toxic friends do not or refuse to accept that. A toxic friend may try to convince you that it’s your responsibility to devote all of your attention to them no matter what. For instance, they may try to demand your attention by:
- Insisting that you’re the only one that understands them the best.
- Calling you or reaching out to you many times during the day.
- Exaggerating personal problems to get your support.
- Excessively praising you for how helpful, generous, and caring you are.
9. They Always Put Themselves Front
A toxic friend will call you and hang out with you only when they need something from you. However, when it’s you who need their help or emotional support, they’re nowhere to be found. They simply disappear.
A true friend is always there for you when you need them. They let you know you can always rely on them. And they never change the subject of discussion when you’re complaining about something or trying to vent your frustrations or anger.
10. They’re Jealous Of Your Other Friends
A real friend will never feel jealous of other people in your life. They’ll never disrespect those you care about, try to isolate you from them or convince you that your life would be more meaningful without them in it. A toxic friend does the exact opposite.
How Do You Deal With A Fake Person?
First things first, keep in mind that it’s completely fine to want to give a fake friend a second chance. Perhaps they don’t understand what impact their behavior has on you. Or perhaps they selfishly behave toward you without showing any bad intentions. In this case, talking to them about how their actions make you feel could help improve things. For instance, you can tell them something like, “It really hurts my feelings when you make negative comments about my friends. Please, be careful what you say about them in the future.”
However, if you’ve tried talking to that person and the conversation hasn’t helped, and the friendship negatively affects you, this may be a sign that it’s time for you to put an end to the friendship and move on.
Whatever the case may be, here are a few tips on how you can deal with a fake person.
1. Set Clear Boundaries And Stick With Them
If the fake person happens to be one of your friends, and you’ve decided that you don’t want to end the friendship, it’s important for you to establish firm and clear boundaries.
Let your fake friend know that you won’t tolerate certain behaviors, like lying, manipulating, criticizing, insulting, gossiping, or acting immaturely or irresponsibly. You can also explain how these behaviors make you feel and how you’ll react to them in the future.
2. Don’t Allow Their Toxic Behavior To Get To You
Fake people can be quite annoying and difficult to handle at times. But no matter how irritating they can get and how quickly they can make you lose your temper, it’s important to keep your cool when around them.
Nevertheless, if the fake person is rude to you or says something that insults you, you don’t have to act as if nothing happened. Instead, call them out on their behavior and let them know you won’t tolerate being treated that way.
3. Keep Your Interactions Short
If you have a fake friend, it can be hard to avoid seeing and hanging out with them. However, instead of ignoring your fake friend altogether whenever you see them, try to behave politely while being a little distant towards them. Talk to them the way you’d talk to someone you’re meeting for the first time.
4. Be Open And Direct
If you’ve decided to end the friendship, make sure your fake friend knows the reasons why you’ve made that decision. Explain to them why you don’t think there’s a point in staying friends with them. Carefully think about what you want to say and how you want to say it. This will help you avoid any ambiguity regarding the status of your friendship.
5. Turn To Your Support System
Being trapped in a friendship with a fake friend can make you lose your trust in others and feel confused. So, you may have taken a break from other friends. If so, you should consider reaching out to them again.
Your friends and family are your support system. They’re the ones who truly care about you and have your best interests at heart. Opening up to them about your situation can help you determine whether you want to keep or end the friendship. They can give you an unbiased assessment of your situation and offer you support and advice on how you should treat your fake friend and whether you should continue being friends with them.
6. Be Calm And Direct
If you’ve decided to end the friendship and are planning to inform your fake friend about that, chances are they won’t approve of your decision. They could start a bitter argument or even try to turn the situation around and make you feel like you’re the one to blame for your failed friendship. When that is the case, it’s important to stay calm and not react angrily or start insulting them. Instead, stay firm and explain clearly why you no longer want to be friends with them.
7. Take A Break From Them
If you’ve noticed a friend is treating you unfairly, you might want to take a break from them temporarily and see whether this will change something.
Taking space for yourself can help you reflect on your feelings and think about what steps you should take next. For example, you may realize that you’re happier and better without that person being around you. If so, this is a sure sign that you should end the friendship.
How Do You Let Go Of Fake Friends?
Letting go of a friend is never easy, even when they’re a fake friend. However, that is sometimes the best thing you can do to save yourself from someone’s lies, controlling behavior, and negativity.
So, if you’ve decided to let go of a fake friend, here is how you can do that without causing yourself or themselves pain:
1. Be Direct
If you’ve decided to end a fake friendship, be direct with that person. Let them know why you don’t think your friendship is not working well anymore and that you’ve decided to take a different direction in life.
However, make sure you don’t end your friendship with that person over the phone or by texting them. Instead, talk to them face to face.
2. Think About What You Want To Say To Them
Before you tell a fake friend that you’ve decided to end your friendship, make sure:
- You carefully think about all the things you want to tell them and how you want to do that.
- You are firm, clear, and thorough while explaining how you’re feeling about your friendship.
- They know everything that’s on your mind.
- You remain as calm and nice as possible.
3. Allow Them To Express Their Opinion
Once you’ve said what you had to say, let them talk. They may try to apologize or make it up to you somehow. Or they may get defensive and start an argument. Whatever their reaction may be, give them a chance to express their feelings and opinions.
4. End The Conversation And Walk Away
If you’ve decided to end the friendship and you know there’s no chance that you will change your mind about it, politely thank them for talking with you and say you’re sorry things ended that way.
