Friendships are important at every stage of your life! Yes, you need someone who can tell you how hard life is. Knowing you have someone to lean on makes for a good friendship. But not all friendships are equal! While some friendships make you happy, some are emotionally draining. Some friendships give you a reason to get through the day, while others make you dread the day you have to see them. Hate to be the bearer of bad news if you feel emotionally drained every time you meet your friends, but your friends aren’t friends. Signs of an emotionally draining friendship and what you can do about it.

Signs of an emotionally depleted friendship

Have you ever met someone on the phone or in person who emotionally drains you and drains you of energy? Well, this is what we call a “toxic friendship,” and here are the signs of an emotionally draining friendship, as pointed out by emotional intelligence health coach Shivam:

1. You try to avoid meeting or talking to them as they say or do anything that subconsciously or consciously triggers you.
2. Your needs are often not met with them and everything revolves around them
3. Your positive feelings towards them are no longer there and they start turning into resentment and hatred.
4. You will never find them when you need some help.
5. You’re not going all out in a friendship, if you find something difficult.
6. You no longer enjoy or look forward to spending time with your friend.
7. Feeling anxious, tired or irritable every time you talk or hang out with them.

How to deal with an emotionally draining friendship?

It’s important to understand why your friend is behaving a certain way, not to the point where it becomes toxic to you. If you’re stuck in a toxic situation like this, here are some ways to get out of an emotionally draining friendship.

1. Identify the problem

First, you need to realize that there is a problem and you need to fix it. The key is to “be aware of how your emotions change around them and find ways to manage that better,” Shivam says. If you feel irritable, emotionally drained and unhappy around your friends, you need to rethink friendships.

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Also Read: Here’s how to remove toxic friends from your life without stirring up drama

2. Know your limits

It’s good to have a sense of humor, but is your friend crossing the line every time? Ask yourself how much time and energy you should give this friend, if it’s not worth it, stop! You need to understand your self-worth, limitations, and priorities in order to set clear boundaries or cut them off altogether.

3. Build boundaries

Once you determine that they are draining you emotionally, limit the amount of time you spend together. If there’s scope for communication and a healthy space, try building boundaries rather than cutting them off completely, coach Shivam shares. If there is no scope, dragging it will do nothing.

Also Read: How to set boundaries with friends and why

4. Communicate

If you feel that your friend keeps asking you the same questions and spending too much time on the same issue, you should express your concerns. Solve the problem by focusing on your friend, how things could be better, and try to help them move forward in life and not spend too much time on the same problem.

If you are surrounded by people who exhaust you emotionally, these ways will help you get out of the situation and be happy in life.