Friendship breakups can be hard, especially when you're dealing with a toxic friendship.
Psychologist, Claudia Sigala, L.C.S.W. says, “Ending a relationship is never easy, but sometimes it may be necessary for your personal well-being.”
Here are 7 steps that can help you end a toxic friendship. Of course, every friendship is different, so this is more of a guideline of how to navigate.
- Gather your non-toxic inner circle for support: lean on your non-toxic friends.
- Don’t be sentimental: Nostalgia can make it harder for you to walk away. Every relationship has bright spots, but remember why you need to walk away
- Be honest: Be honest with yourself & the person you're cutting off. A Clear conversation is better than a fade out.
- Delete and block: Looking at their social media can do more harm than good, so delete or block so you don't try to creep on who they're hanging out with now that you aren't friends anymore.
- Make an effort to meet new friends: Find new friends, or spend more time with your non-toxic friends.
- Don’t reengage: don't respond to texts, don't reach out if they're talking behind your back. Leave it alone.
- Put YOU first: invest in yourself & your healing.