Sometimes we are surrounded by people who bring more than just positive thoughts into our lives, so check out how to recognize a bad friend.
How to identify a bad friend? We all have someone in our company who always leaves us guessing what they think of us. No matter how hard we try to include him in our plans or share with him your thoughts, our attempts often seem futile. And when we try to talk about it, we often feel even more confused. The bad news is that this may not be a simple misunderstanding, but a deliberate tactic to create "psychological distance". And how can this manifest itself in conversations?
Alienation
If you try to start a conversation or connect with someone who is trying to create psychological distance, the person may respond in a way that reduces emotional involvement or interest in the conversation. Such people try to remain neutral or indifferent and avoid expressing any interest or enthusiasm. They may belittle your shared experiences or even passive-aggressively reject your attempts to connect.
Avoiding involvement
When you are trying to maintain contact, connection, or closeness with someone who is trying to create psychological distance from you, their language may be hesitant, vague, or non-specific. Their answers will show a clear reluctance. They will overhear your invitations or attempts to connect and try to be as vague as possible to avoid confirming their involvement. They will also block your attempts to communicate with them—all in an effort to keep you at a distance.
Expression of antagonism
A truly apathetic person may be antagonistic, either subtly or overtly, in their attempts to create distance. This, in turn, can lead to obvious tension or conflict. They may not only distance themselves from you, but also introduce a negative tone into the conversations, which can put additional strain on your relationship. They may dismiss your ideas and thoughts or belittle you or your attempts to connect with them. They may even create conflict in the hope that you will back off.
