The Conversation (0)
Sinead Butler
Apr 19, 2021
Reddit users share their own red flags when it comes to friendships.
Getty Images/iStockphoto
We’ve all heard of the term ‘red flag’ in association with the warning signs of a doomed relationship, but what about those ‘red flags’ that we find in ill-fated friendships?
I mean, we’ve all been there right?
Reddit users have been answering the question: “What is a non-obvious red flag in a friendship?”
Many responded with red flags that they had discovered through their personal experience of having a bad friend.
🚩Always trying to get one-up on you was a popular response 🚩
We’ve all known a friend at some point in our lives that constantly tries to outdo everyone, if you’ve done it once they’ve done it ten times!
One person said: “This doesn’t refer to sharing their own story in response to yours, that’s pretty normal. It’s more about how you can never have the focus remain on you, it always becomes about them.”
Another person said in response to this comment: “I had a friend like that. He always had a better story than yours. The conversation always ended up being about him and his experiences. So annoying.”
🚩Nervousness around the said friend was also a common answer 🚩
“You get nervous and have to be really careful what you say because anything can set them off,” a second person said.
Someone replied with their own personal experience: “I ended a friendship of almost a decade because it got to the point where I was constantly walking on eggshells with them. It’s much better this way.”
If a so-called friend makes you feel that way then definitely consider it a red flag!
🚩Being around the said-friend is “tiring”🚩
*Yawn* there is nothing worse than feeling drained from every social interaction you have with that particular friend and having to put on a performance every time you interact.
“I know what you mean,” one person said in response to this answer.
“Finding the right thing to say so they don’t get bored of you. Watching your acting so they don’t think something’s different. Deep inside, you don’t want to meet them. You just wanna disappear and make them forget you were there.”
🚩Your reaction when they send you a message... 🚩
A natural reaction can truly tell how you feel about a person, so if your annoyed when a friend calls or sends a message - it might be a red flag!
One person wrote: “The biggest indication is you go “ugh” when you see their name on your phone. Think about why you have that reaction.”
“Any time they message you, you don’t have any happy emotions,” another person replied.
Other responses included:
- “Asking you for stuff all the time”
- “They only talk about themselves.. that’s literally the only noise coming from their face hole.”
- “A refusal to accept responsibility for anything. No matter how small the conflict is, it is never their fault. Doesn’t necessarily have to blame you every time”
- “Gossiping about others to you. If they do this, there’s a 99% chance that they’ll gossip about you behind your back”
Wow, with those different responses at least we can see when it comes to terrible ex-pals, we can all relate!