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What are the signs of unhealthy friendships online

Spy Phone at       Feb 24 2021 11:29PM

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What are the signs of unhealthy friendships online

Our friends are our lifelines – extension of our families – they mean the world to us. In sickness and health, they always have our back. With the virtual world quickly overlapping our real settings, it is not uncommon to establish friendship with strangers on various social media platforms too. Easy to access and always with us on our phone, making online friends is both convenient and exciting, and it’s pretty easy for our children too to befriend strangers through social networking sites.
But as interesting as it may be, online friendships have their own set of pros and cons. While it offers you the benefits of befriending people from across the world, digital platforms do not offer you the power to peek into your friends’ real persona. On online platforms, everyone wants to put their best foot forward.
So while we end up meeting and befriending a lot of people online, not every friendship is meant to be. Some online friendships are unhealthy and toxic to a level that they often become a cause of stress, anxiety and sadness. Such friendships drain us emotionally and make us doubt our self-worth. We need to protect our children from such friendships. Tell them that if they are not finding their happy space in a friendship, it is best to get over it and move ahead in life.

Here are some potential signs of an unhealthy online friend:

1. We No Longer Trust Them
Trust is the biggest factor that binds friends together. Without trust, friendship is non-existent. So, if your online friend is not staying committed to his/her promises and is often running you down, then that friendship is not meant for you. It is best for you to steer away from such online friends who cannot stay committed to their words.

2. We Give More Than We Are Getting

Does your online friend monopolize every conversation you have with him/ her? Are your discussions always about him and his problems with no emotional reciprocation? Well, then you must understand that your friend is just using you emotionally for his benefits and this friendship will not sustain the test of time.

3. Your Friend is Constantly Asking for Personal Favors

Money, gifts or anything else, if your friend is constantly asking you for materialistic favors, then he is not emotionally attached to you. He is only maintaining his friendship with you to make his selfish ends meet. You must be wary of such friends as they could be con artists in disguise. If your online friend constantly asks you for your personal or financial information, you should take it as a red flag. Try to come out of such friendships as soon as possible.

4. He is Too Good to be True

We all have our shares of good and bad. No one is perfect. So while we all try to put our best foot forward in new relations, we often end up showing our true personality as the time passes. But if you have been in an online friendship where your friend is trying to be too good to you every time, you must understand that he is acting up. He is not showing his true self to you. Chances are that such friends might have their selfish motives behind and may con you in the future.

5. Your Friend Makes You Feel Uneasy

Does your friend make you uncomfortable during your conversations? Is he/ she trying to single you out? If your online friend is constantly making you feel uneasy with his/ her acts or comments, sending you embarrassing text messages, videos or voice notes, it’s time to step back and trust your instinct. You must try to distance yourself from all such friends who make you feel bad about yourself.

6. Your Friend is Getting Possessive or Jealous About You

Sometimes friendship evolves in such a way that we try to claim ownership on our friend. This is the time when possessiveness or jealousy arise. If your friend is trying to gain his control over you, is constantly doubting your actions or moves, is losing trust in you, it’s time to draw a line. Such relationships will never give you happiness. Instead, they’ll rob you off your inner peace and comfort.

7. You Are in an Abusive Relationship

Does your friend constantly abuse you? Name-calling or verbal insult is not allowed in any relationship, whether it is online or offline. Abusive relationships are incredibly draining. They make you lose your confidence and self-worth. So, if your online friend insults or mistreats you, you must understand that this friendship is not meant to be. It isn’t healthy and you must put an end to such friendships as soon as possible.
As easy as it may sound, figuring out an unhealthy friendship is difficult as your kids may get carried away and become emotionally dependent on their friend. So, if you think that your child is dealing with a troubled online friendship, talk to them. Ask them if they are happy in their personal space and try to know things that are troubling them. While instantly getting out of a relationship is not easy for your kids, here are a few things that you can try:
· Ask them to set their limits and stick to them
· Monitor your child’s online activities through a phone tracker app
· Ensure that their online friends do not invade their personal space
· Watch your child’s online friend’s behavior using a mobile tracker and intervene if required
· Make sure the online friends are not asking your child for personal favors, especially ones that your child is not comfortable with
But if the friendship is turning sour and toxic, it’s best to put an end to such friendships. Ask your child to simply let his friend know that he’s no longer feel comfortable with him and will not be able to take the relationship forward. Explain your child that his privacy and respect is of utmost important and that he should never compromise it, come what may. Ask him to gracefully exit the relationship and block the friend, if required. online friends

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