 Oh, hi! Welcome back to another Psych2Go video, where we make psychology accessible to everyone. A toxic friendship is hard to spot and even harder to escape from, especially if it involves your best friend. Oftentimes, they start out happy and exciting, but turn worse over time. Do you have a toxic person in your life, or someone who drains your energy and puts you down to make themselves feel better? Here are eight warning signs that your best friend is becoming toxic for you. 1. They abuse your friendship. Every relationship needs balance. Are you giving as much as you receive from your friendships? Or is your best friend asking a lot from you without ever returning the favor or to consider how you may feel? It's a bad sign if they don't respect your boundaries, or if they only talk about themselves and what you can do for them instead of asking how you are. 2. They start competing with you. Are you jealous of each other's success? Sometimes friendships can turn toxic when it becomes a competition. In a healthy relationship, best friends support and help out one another. They don't try to outshine the other or ruin each other's chances of success. While it's normal to sometimes feel insecure about your friend's accomplishments, nothing ends a friendship faster than hidden anger or jealousy. 3. They betray your trust. Trust and loyalty are key to every meaningful relationship. Do they share your secrets to others, talk behind your back, or break their promises to you? Do you feel like you can't depend on them to be there for you when you need them? If you feel like you can't trust your best friend anymore, then it might be time to consider ending things with them. 4. They intentionally hurt you. Does your best friend do things to purposefully hurt you? It's one thing if they didn't mean it or if they didn't know how it would affect you. But it's another if they did. And because they're your best friend, they can know exactly what to say to hurt you the most. Whether it's to help them gain something or to get back at you for some reason, it's hurtful and wrong for them to do it. 5. They bring out the worst in you. Do you like who you are when you're with your best friend? Your friends are supposed to bring out the best in you, not the worst. Do you say things you regret, indulge in bad habits, and give in to your worst impulses when you're with them? If so, they become a bad influence on you. It's no good if you feel like they're starting to change you for the worse. 6. They make you feel insecure. Does your best friend pick on your insecurities and make you feel small? Another red flag that you're in a friendship that's gone downhill is if they make you feel bad about yourself. Good friends are supposed to be supportive and to help you see the good in yourself. If you find yourself questioning your own self-worth and feeling more self-conscious when you're with them, it may be a sign that they've become a toxic friend. 7. You make excuses for them. Does your friend always put you in uncomfortable situations? They ask you to cover for them, lie for them, and even take the fall for something they've done wrong. As their best friend, you can't help but make excuses for their bad behavior. But when you don't hold them responsible for their actions, you're allowing them to keep doing it to you and those around you. 8. You don't like being around them anymore. Sometimes your friends can become so toxic you begin to dread spending time with them. All the things you used to love and look forward to no longer bring you joy and you don't feel like yourself around them. If spending time with them feels like walking on eggshells and it leaves you emotionally and mentally exhausted all the time, it may be a sign your friendship has taken a bad turn. In the end, friendships are only happy and healthy if both you and your best friend feel valued and appreciated. Does your best friend show any of these signs? Let us know in the comments below. Also, remember to like and share this video with those who might benefit from it. Thanks for watching and we'll see you in the next video.