Are your friends damaging your health? Five signs they might be

There's no doubt we love our friends. Many of them we'll have grown up with, known for decades and been through thick and thin with. Others we may have developed over more recent times, connecting as we move areas, jobs and generally work our way through life.

However, there can come times when relationships with friends can beceom a little more toxic, damaging our health both physically and mentally. Despite this, we can often continue to see them and fall into a trap where our health is continually being battered without us, or them, perhaps even realising.

But how do you know if your friends are damaging your health? Here are five signs they might be…

Constant Negativity: Draining Your Energy
Actually, one of the most common signs that a friendship is proving detrimental is quite obvious to spot. Constant negativity can actually have a significant impact on our mental health and seep into our own outlook on life.

You can find that some friends constantly complain, criticise, dwell on the negative and always find the worst in something rather than the best. This pessimism can not only be draining but it can have a knock-on effect that can increase the likes of stress and anxiety, as well as you taking that stance in life. This is only going to have a negative impact on others in your life and essentially start a chain of negativity. If someone like that is affecting you, it could be time to reassess the friendship and take a backward step.

Lack of Support: Feeling Unsupported and Alone
Support is a core part of any friendship. A healthy friendship with someone, or friendship group, is built on being supportive and understanding. Of course, life gets in the way and people can't always be there for you, but if they're showing a disinterest or being dismissive of your problems, then it's a sure sign that the friendship isn't really working for you.

Belittlement and discouragement can also be problematic from this point of view, not only allowing you to share things with them, but also exacerbating stress and anxiety and undermining self confidence.

Manipulative Behaviour: Undermining Your Autonomy
A real problem and something that needs to be addressed immediately is when friends start to become manipulative. There are many reasons why they do this, perhaps taking advantage of your good nature, or perhaps they are going through some things themself and it's as a result of that. In the case of the latter, it can be a good idea to point this out and have an honest conversation about it.

Either way, manipulative friends can try to control your actions, decisions and emotions and this can lead to a loss of autonomy as well as feeling trapped in the relationship. It can cause severe stress, anxiety and depression, so it's crucial you address this.

Enabling Unhealthy Habits: Encouraging Negative Behaviours
More and more these days we're finding that friends have a significant impact on our lifestyle choices, and this can have a real impact on both mental and physical health. Many people suffering from alcohol addiction or drug abuse can trace their problem back to friendship groups.

Friends who consistently push you towards harmful behaviours don't have our best interests at heart and they can cause serious health issues, from addiction to the likes of obesity, mental health disorders and more.

Emotional Abuse: Undermining Your Self-Esteem
Emotional abuse in friendships can be insidious and damaging. It can manifest as constant criticism, humiliation, or verbal attacks. Friends who make you feel inferior, unworthy, or ashamed are engaging in emotional abuse.

This kind of treatment can severely damage your self-esteem and mental health, leading to anxiety, depression, and a distorted self-image. Recognising the signs of emotional abuse is vital to protecting yourself. No friendship is worth sacrificing your self-respect and mental well-being.