Spending time with toxic people can be terribly destructive.
Psychological research demonstrates that insults and criticism can be five times more powerful than positive communication such as compliments. If you want your to keep your relationships flourishing, you need a lot of positive interaction. And that’s why relationships are such hard work.
If you surround yourself with toxic people, you can be sure to pay the price for it one day. Even minimal interaction with people who are negative can have a huge impact on your personal happiness and performance at work. That’s why you should make sure to avoid toxic people will only drain your energy and bring you down.
Here are six types of such personalities that you should absolutely steer clear from.
1. People who avoid responsibility
There exist people who are unable to assume the responsibility for their actions. They’re prone to blaming others for their own mistakes.
That kind of person will have a negative influence on your life. They aren’t able to change their attitude, and you are going to become their victim sooner or later. They are bound to find a way for burdening you with their responsibilities.
Obviously, you don’t want to end up dealing with their problems, right? The truth is that most of the time these kinds of toxic people are simply immature and unable to face their own hardships. If you avoid them, you can avoid their problems and responsibilities as well.
2. Self-destructive people
Some people tend to become defensive when you point out their lapses of judgment. They want your pity, help and attention, but they’re not really interested in solving their own problems.
If you feel that one of your friends needs that kind of support all the time, you can be sure that your friendship will sooner or later lead to stress and frustration.
Self-destructive people have no interest in growing or changing. They’re simply content to complain about their lives over and over again.
The worst thing, however, is that even if you want to help them, you won’t be able to do much. If it’s their habit to offer a myriad of excuses for their behaviors, you can’t stop them. That’s why you should simply avoid them.
3. People who just criticize
Nobody is perfect. Yet just because you have your flaws that you’re struggling to overcome, it doesn’t mean that someone should point them out to you all the time.
There is a difference between expressing one’s concern honestly and constructively, and pointing out the weakness in order to attack someone. If one of your friends is quick to emphasize your flaws and frequently criticizes your behavior, you are dealing with a toxic person that you should definitely avoid. Otherwise, you risk them wearing down your self-esteem.
4. Emotional vampires
Emotional vampires come in many shapes and sizes.
Some people like to be pitied for problems they cannot solve, while others like to constantly speak badly about other people. Some will try to control your opinions about topics, and others will point out all the flaws in your behavior. Some might seek company in judging others, or challenge you every time you cross paths.
But what they all have in common is that after every interaction with them you feel emotional fatigue and stress. Do yourself a favor and avoid them.
5. People who are always jealous
You might know a person who tends to minimize your accomplishments or strengths in order to make themselves feel better. They might also be jealous of your good fortune. You don’t need these kinds of toxic people in your life either.
Avoid people who aren’t able to be happy for you and for your success and who can’t appreciate your hard work, simply because they can’t put so much effort into things they love. Real friends will always be genuinely happy for you. They won’t try to diminish your happiness with negative reactions. They will never try to make you feel guilty for sharing your happiness with them.
6. People who care about their image too much
This toxic type is quite interesting. You’ve probably met someone who always looks so polished on the outside, but their inside doesn’t really match their beautiful appearance.
These people are simply afraid to be honest. They don’t really know themselves and they don’t want anyone else to know them either. They just want other people to see the filtered version of themselves.
However, if you cannot really connect with someone, how are you supposed to become real friends? It’s pointless to waste your time on people who rarely show their vulnerable side. They will be terrified to see yours and won’t be able to support you.
You can see now why it’s in your interest to avoid these people. They’re not going to make your life happier or more interesting. They’re going to put you down, criticize you, and make you feel miserable. Worst of all, they will never be there for you when you need them, as real friends should be.
Avoid the six types of toxic personalities and you’ll be on your way to creating a harmonious and balanced social environment that serves to boost your strengths and helps you to lead a peaceful and happy life.
