 Welcome back, Psych2Goers. Thank you so much for all the love and support that you've given us, enabling us to make yet another trip down everyday psychology lane. So, let's begin. Fake friends. Odds are, you've heard of them. Worst case scenario, you've experienced them. They lurk in the shadows, waiting to snatch up their next victim. Why are they so fake? What do they hope to gain? Why do they always seem to slither their way into your life just so they can tear you apart with a smile? This is probably what you may have asked yourself if you've experienced a fake friend. Because let's admit it, we don't need any fake friends in our lives. To help protect yourself from the pain and drama, here are some signs to tell if you have a fake friend. Number one, they adore gossip and drama. People who love to gossip all the time are not always the best of friends. If all they do is want to gossip with you when you hang out with them, something might be going on. The thing is, how are you to know if they gossip about you? Gossip can be very negative and draining. And if all they do is gossip and it's all the time, then that's negative behavior around you all the time. Gossiping can even be a form of relational aggression, which is a bullying-like behavior that ends up bringing about nothing but trouble. Number two, they speak badly about you behind your back. Speaking of gossiping, remember how we mentioned how you may never know if they gossip about you? Well, turns out it's very likely they may just be speaking badly about you behind your back. Odds are, they're just using you for a manipulative gossip-seeking pleasure. You can never know. If you find out they indeed are talking about you in a negative light to their friends, it's best to just simply let that friend go. Number three, you catch them in lies all the time. Let's say that again together, all the time. I'm serious about this one. Pathological liars run abound in the fields waiting for their next victim. Real friends tell you the truth because they're your friend and ultimately want to help you. I mean, your best friend is likely to tell you if the dish you cooked tastes kind of funny because it's simply honest feedback, right? Even if they know the truth isn't nice, they say it in such a way that it doesn't seem so bad after all. But your fake friends just want sympathy and attention and they'll do whatever they can to gain that attention, even lie. They can be totally weird and random lies. All the while convincing you they wouldn't lie about these things because they're your friend. Yeah, right. Number four, it's always about them and they're simply selfish. When your so-called friend is always looking out for just them when you're both together, that may be normal in some scenarios. But not if they're a good friend. They shouldn't just run off without you. They should always think of their friends too if they're with them. And if they're selfish all the time that not only is negative, but it's just not nice. So if you're with a friend and they're only thinking about themselves that asking you or thinking of your feelings or needs then you might want to think twice about if they're a good friend. Number five, they are extremely critical of you. That dress makes you look so ugly. I'm just being honest. Did I say that? Just kidding. Gosh, you're so sensitive. I didn't mean it. Can you imagine a friend like this? Some friends will be extremely critical of their friends because, well, they aren't really your friend. There's a fine line between being honest and being critical. Honesty does not make you doubt yourself nor does it deliver a set down. Critique, however, can leave you reeling with shame and insecurity. They don't care if they hurt you because they never really cared about you in the first place. Your friends shouldn't be your biggest critic. They should be your biggest fan. Number six, they're jealous. Have you heard of frenemies? Fake friends can be extremely jealous of the person they're pretending to be friends with. The thing is they may deep down like you but because of their jealousy they may just hate you even more. These frenemies often feel jealous of the person but have no dirt on them to be mad at. You did nothing wrong to them. You may even seem perfect in their eyes so they may gossip about you to create imperfections in you all because they're jealous of you. And number seven, they aren't reliable then they aren't there when you need them most. Friends are there for you, especially when you're having a hard time. If your friend can't stop talking about themselves and their problems while not considering your own then that's a definite red flag. You might even be listening to all of their problems but when it comes to yours, they got to go. They're putting all their negative energy on you and taking all of your positive and they don't even bother to give back. We hope we were able to give you a little insight into some of the ways you can recognize fake friends and their manipulations. Have you come across any? Let us know in the comments below. If you find this video interesting be sure to hit the like and subscribe button and share it with someone under the threat of fake friendships. Thanks for watching and we'll see you in the next video.