Ever had that feeling in your gut telling you you’ve got a fake friend in your midst?
Here’s how to spot a fake friend, according to experts, plus how to walk away.
The concept of “fake” friends.
Just like people can find themselves intoxic romantic relationships, toxic friendships are very much a thing.
15 signs of a fake friend:
They’re a fair-weather friend.
Leeds says this kind of behavior is indicative of a fake friend.
They aren’t there for you.
And when and if they do “support” you, it feels shallow and not genuine.
They always seem to need something from you.
They’re competitive with you.
Leeds and Nunez both note fake friends can be quite competitive, which stems from a place of jealousy.
They make you feel bad about yourself.
A fake friend is not going to uplift you the way a true friend does.
They don’t celebrate with you.
Anyone can do that.'"
They drain your energy.
Notice how you feel when you’re with this person, and afterward.
Are they draining you?
Leeds says time with a fake friend will likely feel draining or disproportionately focused on them.
(See also:energy vampires.)
They talk about you behind your back.
They have nothing good to say about you.
Saying mean things to you also doesn’t have to be reserved to behind your back.
Some people will say things straight to your face with little to no remorse.
After all, true friends should actually like each otherand show it.
They’re disrespectful.
The friendship is one-sided.
Check out ourfull guide to one-sided friendshipsfor more signs of this unhealthy dynamic.
They have something to gain from you.
One of the trademarks of a fake friend is that they want something from you.
“By being your friend, they use you to gain something,” Nunez says.
They’re jealous of you in some way.
“With fake friends, there’s an underlying jealousy,” Nunez says.
They take a stab at sabotage you.
Similar to competitiveness, a fake friend may feel the need to sabotage you in certain scenarios.
Say you’re out at a bar with friends and flirting with a stranger.
Their behavior is repetitious.
And lastly, if there’s no sign of this behavior stopping, that’s a big red flag.
What to do about it.
Ask yourself what your friend is like in their other relationships, she suggests.
The best thing you might do is trust your gut and intuition.
“If it’s not a mutually beneficial friendship, it’s not worth it,” Nunez adds.
Cutting things off.
There are two main options: a “breakup” or distancing yourself.
The bottom line.
Try as we might to avoid them, fake friendships do happen.
But when we recognize a relationship isn’t serving us, it’s on us to walk away.
But as Nunez says, “You want to surround yourself withlike-minded people who lift you up.”
Anything less is simply not worth your time and effort.
