How to Break Up With a Toxic Friend, According to an Expert

Plain and simple: Life is hard sometimes. As the years go on, there are people who come in and out of our lives. For me, after graduating high school, I really started to solidify who my friend group was: I met new friends in college, had old ones at home, and stayed in touch with those that mattered most. One of the biggest lessons I learned was that some relationships are simply not worth taking along with you. It's tough to face, but some friendships are, well, toxic.

The toxic friend is someone who can mentally abuse you, kick you while you're down, and overall not bring out the best in you as a person. Harsh as it may be, at the end of the day, your life would be much more enjoyable if this person wasn't in it. It might feel selfish at first, but really, it's better for both of you to get out of each other's lives.

Still, how do you know if a friendship is really toxic? And if you do have a toxic friend, what's the best way to handle the situation? We got down to the nitty-gritty of toxic friendships with Kristin Wilson, MA, LPC, vice president of clinical outreach at Newport Academy, to see exactly what a toxic friend is and how to properly remove them from your life without hurting yourself or others in the process.

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