The New Year is a time of reinvention. People get nostalgic when the year is ending, reminiscing about all thier failures and accomplishments that took place during the past 365 days. No matter if you had a good or bad year in terms of emotional health and achievements, the first days of January represent the beginning of a new cycle, motivating you to change some of the bad habits and patterns that are impairing your life.
One of the most common struggles faced involve the different relationships in your life, especially the toxic ones that end up doing more harm than good. These relationships demand a lot from you, absorbing your time and damaging different areas in your life, including your mental health and other aspects you value.
The Huffington Post compiled a list of the different type of toxic people that tend to appear the most throughout your life. Check out five of the most harmful ones.
Ghosters
Ghosters are a dime a dozen nowadays, and they’re not only limited to Tinder. These type of people can be friends and people you trust, conveniently disappearing or making themselves unavailable when you need them the most. According to relationship and family therapist Tania Wagner, ghosters excel at draining your time and energy, rarely offering you the same treatment.
Narcissists
Despite the fact that we’re all a little bit self-centered at times, narcissism is a diagnosed personality disorder. People who show this personality trait are often toxic to themselves and those who surround them. Once you can identify the true narcissists in your life, it’s time to leave them behind.
Dependent people
Healthy friendships and relationships go both ways, ensuring that all the parties involved are getting something positive out of the agreement. Calling a relationships or a friendship an agreement sounds distant and cold, and it is in some ways, but at it’s core these relationships that take time and emotional investment need to give you something positive.
Dependent relationships often involve someone who is stagnant and immature, needing you help to do things that they should be able to do on their own. While it’s encouraged to always lend a helping hand, especially to a friend, it’s in you to know when to draw the line.
Instigators
Some people love to gossip and create drama where there is none, and while this can be fun when it doesn’t involve you directly, odds are you’ll be on the other end of the gossip at some point or another. Usually these people aren’t very trustworthy, so it’s important to have this in mind and to be careful of what you reveal to them.
Overtly critical friends and partners
Healthy criticism is a good thing, even if it feels like an aggression or a personal attack. Friends and partners often have a perspective of you that you can’t have, and are capable of noticing patterns in your behavior that aren’t good for you. There’s a difference between this and criticism that’s harmful and meant to belittle you.
“You should never have to defend yourself for being who you are. There are many people in this world who will stand in your light and help you shine brighter,” says marriage and family therapist Laura Heck.
