True vs. Toxic Friends

A true friend is someone who is genuinely helpful when needed.

But do you have a friend who only contacts you when they need something? ??Have you ever held back your own opinions, thinking, "If I say this, will they like it?" ?? Have you ever shared something with a friend that was supposed to remain a secret, only to find it became common knowledge? ?? If your answer is "yes," then I’m talking about you—or your friendship.

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Is that really the case? ?? What quality sets apart the friend you see all over your Reels and Stories from others? Is it positive or negative? If your conscience tells you it's negative, don't worry—you're saved...??

?? Break Up the Friendship ??

Isn’t it better to cut off negativity and get your life back on track? We often talk about toxicity in relationships, but toxicity exists in friendships too. We can sing

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but in real life, it may not always be practical. Toxicity can create cracks in the ship of friendship. ??

Many times, we feel most comfortable speaking openly in front of our friends. But what if you have to wear a mask even in front of them? ?? If you’re constantly worried about whether your friend will like what you say or get angry, just to avoid losing their friendship, then it’s definitely not a healthy friendship. ? If you're forced to follow their direction and can’t do what you enjoy, that’s a toxic situation. And if you try introducing something new, they might politely dismiss it.

? True vs. Toxic Friends ?

There's no thought in the relationship of accepting you for who you are. Many people, despite being close friends, can’t find comfort in opening up because they're afraid of hearing endless accusations. In short, they’re just stuck listening.

Good friends will always wish the best for you from their hearts. ?? Even if you share their secrets, they’ll keep yours safe. They will never abandon you, even when you’re mentally or physically down. ?? They’ll accept you as you are, without judgment, and you’ll never feel the need to hide anything from them.

But toxic friends aren’t like that. They smile to your face while stabbing you in the back. ?? Instead of believing in the idea of "??????????????? ?????????? ????????," it might be time to think, "??????????????? ????? ???????? ." ??? It’s time to put a full stop to such friendships.

?? Social Media and Friendship ??

We’ve all tagged friends in a "tag that buddy" post on Facebook or Instagram at least once. But not everyone can take these posts, aimed solely at entertainment, with the right spirit. ?? Tags that mock appearances or personalities can completely erode someone’s self-confidence. They may start questioning their own identity. ?? Haven’t we all seen those extravagant birthday celebrations? ??

There’s nothing wrong with planning such pranks with mutual understanding, but it should never cause emotional hurt. ?? Even at weddings, we sometimes see the over-excitement of friendship cross the line. Not everyone will take it as a joke. If one person buys something, the other has to do the same. ??? If someone moves ahead in life, there’s slander. ?? In plain Malayalam, jealousy is human nature. If someone is more attractive, has a better job, a nice house, or a car, jealousy creeps in. But this jealousy shouldn’t find its way into friendship.

Conclusion

As I said earlier, we are who we are when we are with our friends. ?? Good friends will take your hand and lead you forward. Their success will be your success too, because in that friendship, you are one. ?? But in toxic friendships, no matter how hard you try, this equation can’t be solved. It’s tough to move forward with friends who, instead of cheering for your success, secretly feel jealous when you take a step ahead. ??

While evaluating whether your friends are toxic, it’s important to ask yourself, "Am I becoming a toxic friend?" ?? If you feel like your actions have hurt your friends, don’t delay in correcting yourself. ?? And at the same time, don’t hesitate to say goodbye to toxic friends. ??