Editor’s Note: A toxic friendship is a friendship which is more harmful than helpful. It is an emotionally draining relationship that is not healthy for either person. See what one of our Teen CHARGE Brand Reps had to say about toxic friendships and how to deal with them.

I have been in many toxic friendships before and they can really challenge your self confidence and self-image. Today I will be teaching you how to deal with toxic friendships.

1. Determine if you are in a toxic friendship

The first thing I do when I feel I am trapped in a toxic friendship is to figure out how and why I got in it. Then I take a step back to figure out if I am getting hurt or if I could get hurt. If the answer is yes, I talk to a trusted adult or parent about what they would do.

Editor’s Note: There are many signs that you could be in a toxic friendship, but one of the biggest signs is how you feel after spending time with them. A friend who makes you feel lonely, stressed, drained, or not good enough is probably toxic.

2. Talk to the person in private

I would not recommend talking to them in front of people because they might get defensive and that could lead to other problems. Pull them aside and ask if you did something wrong, or what it is that is causing them to treat you this way. If they answer that you did do something wrong, ask what you can do to resolve it.

Editor’s Note: All friends have disagreements and misunderstandings! It’s important to determine if your friend is upset and acting out of anger (in which case you may be able to save the relationship) or if their toxic behavior is part of a pattern.

3. Leave the friendship without being rude.
If you are unable to resolve the issue after talking to them, you may need to leave the friendship. Be one hundred percent honest and straightforward. If you are not honest with them, they may hesitate or try to convince you to change your mind.

Lastly, once you have left the relationship, do not look back, no matter what. If you doubt yourself, you may go back and get stuck in that friendship all over again.

I hope that helped you out. It helped me out when I was in that spot. The one spot that I would really point out is taking a step back and looking at the problem. Once again, I hope that helped!

-Anonymous Teen CHARGE Summer Brand Rep