Top 7+ signs it’s time to end a friendship

1. You are the only one making the effort to maintain the friendship, 2. You feel drained after spending time with them, 3. They don't respect your boundaries, 4. You don't feel good about yourself when you're with them, 5. The friendship feels competitive, 6. You're not their priority, 7. Your friend is mean/disrespectful

Just like romantic relationships, not all friendships last forever, and that's OK. Maybe you met in primary school and you've grown apart over the years. Or perhaps you moved away from each other and communication naturally fizzled out. Or, it could be that the person you thought was your friend has revealed their true colours, and you're not a fan of who they really are. Whatever the reason, you shouldn't feel guilty about ending a friendship. Often, if it's something you're considering doing, deep down, you know it's the right thing to do anyway. Here are 7 signs it's time to move on… (Picture: Getty Images)

1. You are the only one making the effort to maintain the friendship

1. You are the only one making the effort to maintain the friendship, 2. You feel drained after spending time with them, 3. They don't respect your boundaries, 4. You don't feel good about yourself when you're with them, 5. The friendship feels competitive, 6. You're not their priority, 7. Your friend is mean/disrespectful

Friendships aren't one-sided. It takes both people to keep it healthy. So, if you feel like you're carrying the weight of the friendship, i.e. making all the plans, checking in, and just generally doing all of the admin, it might be time to take a step back. Once a friendship starts feeling imbalanced, the person putting all the effort in can become resentful of the other. Not to mention confused and upset about why the person isn't as invested anymore (Picture: Getty Images)

2. You feel drained after spending time with them

1. You are the only one making the effort to maintain the friendship, 2. You feel drained after spending time with them, 3. They don't respect your boundaries, 4. You don't feel good about yourself when you're with them, 5. The friendship feels competitive, 6. You're not their priority, 7. Your friend is mean/disrespectful

You may not realise it, but the reason you're feeling drained might be to do with who you're surrounding yourself with. For example, if your friend regularly moans about other people, their job, or life in general every time you meet up, you are going to absorb that energy. Granted, all meet-ups can't be positive - life happens, remember - but if you notice a similar pattern upon every get-together, it might either be time to address the negativity, or simply walk away from it (Picture: Getty Images)

3. They don't respect your boundaries

1. You are the only one making the effort to maintain the friendship, 2. You feel drained after spending time with them, 3. They don't respect your boundaries, 4. You don't feel good about yourself when you're with them, 5. The friendship feels competitive, 6. You're not their priority, 7. Your friend is mean/disrespectful

Boundaries are incredibly important in friendships, i.e. your friends who know you well should be aware of them and appreciate them, and vice versa. However, if your friend is consistently ignoring any boundaries you have specifically set, whether it be convincing you to drink on a night out even though you made it clear you don't want to, or you've asked them not to borrow clothes from you after they ruined your best dress, you might want to re-assess whether this person is really your true friend. After all, friends are supposed to champion and respect you, not the opposite (Picture: Getty Images)

4. You don't feel good about yourself when you're with them

1. You are the only one making the effort to maintain the friendship, 2. You feel drained after spending time with them, 3. They don't respect your boundaries, 4. You don't feel good about yourself when you're with them, 5. The friendship feels competitive, 6. You're not their priority, 7. Your friend is mean/disrespectful

The above three signs could all contribute to this. But there are also other reasons you might not feel good about yourself when you're with said 'friend.' The first is that you should be able to be your authentic self when you're around those closest to you. Anyone who makes you feel small, silly, or unaccepted isn't a real friend - they should hype you up, not make you feel worthless. So, if you continuously leave meet-ups with poor self-esteem, either address it to your friend or give the friendship some space (Picture: Getty Images)

5. The friendship feels competitive

1. You are the only one making the effort to maintain the friendship, 2. You feel drained after spending time with them, 3. They don't respect your boundaries, 4. You don't feel good about yourself when you're with them, 5. The friendship feels competitive, 6. You're not their priority, 7. Your friend is mean/disrespectful

Like we alluded to before, the foundations of a friendship should run on equality. No one is better than anyone else, and no one should be made to feel that way. However, if you notice that your friend regularly gives you backhanded compliments, struggles to celebrate any of your achievements, or tries to 'outdo' you in areas of life, the friendship may start to feel more like a competition than an equal playing field. This can lead to feelings of resentment and distrust (Picture: Getty Images)

6. You're not their priority

1. You are the only one making the effort to maintain the friendship, 2. You feel drained after spending time with them, 3. They don't respect your boundaries, 4. You don't feel good about yourself when you're with them, 5. The friendship feels competitive, 6. You're not their priority, 7. Your friend is mean/disrespectful

Now, we know that life can throw curveballs, meaning you sometimes have to focus on number one, but maintaining strong and meaningful relationships also means you have to be there for your friends and family in their time of need. Friends who clearly don't prioritise you regularly (and have zero excuses as to why) should be a major red flag. Basically, if you get the feeling that you're not worth their time, they seldom reach out to you/make it hard to communicate, you might want to consider moving on (Picture: Getty Images)

7. Your friend is mean/disrespectful

1. You are the only one making the effort to maintain the friendship, 2. You feel drained after spending time with them, 3. They don't respect your boundaries, 4. You don't feel good about yourself when you're with them, 5. The friendship feels competitive, 6. You're not their priority, 7. Your friend is mean/disrespectful

This is pretty obvious. Any decent human will find it uncomfortable to be around mean, disrespectful people, whether it's being directed towards others, or specifically at you. We're sensitive beings and don't respond well to being treated badly. We also find it hard to speak ill of people or contribute to nasty gossip. Especially if it's for no reason. Those of you with friends who have a mean streak, firstly, stand up for yourself and the others being mistreated. Secondly, walk away from the friendship. Not only is the negative energy draining to tolerate, but being associated with someone like this can also land you in hot water (Picture: Getty Images)

1. You are the only one making the effort to maintain the friendship, 2. You feel drained after spending time with them, 3. They don't respect your boundaries, 4. You don't feel good about yourself when you're with them, 5. The friendship feels competitive, 6. You're not their priority, 7. Your friend is mean/disrespectful

Have you ever had to terminate a friendship? If so, how was it?

1. You are the only one making the effort to maintain the friendship, 2. You feel drained after spending time with them, 3. They don't respect your boundaries, 4. You don't feel good about yourself when you're with them, 5. The friendship feels competitive, 6. You're not their priority, 7. Your friend is mean/disrespectful

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