Toxic Essay

897 Words2 Pages

The word Toxic, typically, first and foremost implies harm. Toxic is an adjective used to describe injurious or poisonous substances, but it can similarly be used to describe people. These “toxic” people usually exhibit behavior that can be physically or mentally detrimental to those around them. Through my experiences with a former friend, I learned that you do not need to tolerate toxic people because they hinder your progress and happiness. I first noticed these signs of toxic behavior from my friend in a high school math class, some of which were irrational envy or jealousy, and self-victimization/pity. Being friends for a long time we sat next to each other in most classes, and this did not differ in math. I soon, however, began to regret …show more content…

Near the end of our relationship, her bullying of my other friends grew to an extreme. She would demean and undermine them because picking on their apparent faults made her feel better about her. One of my other friends was a constant victim to this without my knowledge, and when that friend finally told me about what was going on I proceeded to cut the bully out of my life once and for all. I ceased all contact with her in person and online. What surprised me the most was how unaffected my life was without her in it. By that time we had been friends for over a decade, and yet her influence on my life was never substantial enough, in a good way, for me to miss any sort of positive influence. This further revealed just how unequal our relationships emotional balance was. As I look back on it, I realize now that I served almost as an emotional punching bag for her. She would take her anger and insecurities out on me and I would just silently take it because I wanted to be a good friend. She was never on the receiving end, as I felt I couldn’t bother her with my woes. Without her, in my life, I was free to focus on my goals and aspirations without being additionally encumbered by her

More about Toxic Essay

Open Document