5 Tips on How to Tell If Someone is Truly a Friend

In today's society, we use the word "friend" a bit too lightly. From someone you grew up with to someone you just met, we throw the word around like it's nothing. What is the deeper meaning of friendship? It's not something that should be taken lightly. In order to better develop a stronger bond between two people, there needs to be effort, care and agreement. Here are some tips on how to tell if someone is not worthy of being called a friend.

They are only playmates.

A lot of people say they are your friend, but when you're really in need or you need something done such as a favor, they are nowhere to be seen. In the end, only your closest friends will bail you out. These types of "pseudo-friends" are not only unhelpful, they are worthless, people you can only afford to hang out with once in a while.

Being a true friend stems from being there when someone needs you. According to dictionary.com, one of the definitions of being a friend is being someone who can give assistance. In your darkest hour, your friends will be the ones who pull you out, so make sure those people are the ones you can count on.

They take advantage.

You'll enjoy being around a couple of people who seem to have the same interests as you, but they really don't care that much about your friendship. Once they use you for whatever purpose it was, they act like they don't know you anymore. This is a frequent occurrence in today's competitive society.

If you are just getting to know someone, see if they are asking you a lot of things about one subject (your job, your car, etc.). Most likely, they are just trying to get information out of you, and once they do, don't expect to see them again, or have them reciprocate the favor. Many people tend to hang around you for your money as well. If you constantly have to pay for a friend to eat out or help them in so-called "tough times," it's time to re-evaluate friendship.

Even if it isn't about material, a person can take advantage of your confidence. A person's confidence is something that is vital to good mental health, and people who constantly stays around you in order to make themselves feel better are not worthy of being friends. Many times, a person will attach himself to you or hang around you in order to show off or make snide remarks. If something is bothering you, sit down and take time to think about exactly what it is. Most of the times friendships are broken is because someone abused their power during the friendship.

They can't compromise.

This is different than ambition. Some people just can't have it any other way. They think that their way is the correct way, and that whatever ideas they have are better than yours. If you find yourself arguing a lot or going with whatever this person says most of the time, you should begin to stay away from them. Usually, someone who can't compromise doesn't see the whole picture. They believe that the universe rotates around them, something that's stopping them short of making a bond with someone other than themselves. A sign of a good friend is someone who can understand your point of view, sit down to talk about things, and work out something so that both of you can be happy. Not everyone will agree on everything, so compromise is vital to a balanced friendship. When one person is too stubborn, the relationship usually ends up being one-sided.

They lie.

Someone who tells lies is someone you cannot trust. After all, being able to be honest with one another is the foundation of a good friendship, or else nothing else can come out of it. People need to be able to be truthful to one another, or nothing in this world would ever get done. Lies in general should not be told. A person who does exhibits a lot of fake behavior usually isn't up to any good, as honesty is obviously not a high priority on their list. Sometimes, things such as "white lies" are told in order to get out of a sticky situation, but these should be kept to a minimum.

They have bad habits.

Friendly as they may be, some people are part of the "bad crowd." Whether it be smoking drugs, gambling, or violence, bad habits are an easy trap to fall into, and they probably know that. Some people know they need help, so they will come to you for advice and encouragement, whereas others just condone bad behavior and want you to be apart of them. Their purpose is only to drag you down, and before you know it you're one of them. Just like zombies. Pay attention to any addictions that this person may have, and if they insist on anything you don't deem to be physically or mentally healthy, leave.

Humans are social creatures. We need to develop strong friendships in order to survive happily.Your friends should be good people (as should you). That is all to say.