While it is pretty obvious to tell when a friendship is over if the other party decides to attack you without direct provocation, few individuals will be this blunt in their disdain.
The primary aim of this article is to cite many common signs that a friendship is on the brink due to disrespect, either legitimate or perceived. If you are concerned about a relationship, look over the list of signals below and see just how many might be at play in that relationship.
They Treat You Like a Joke
Some people prefer to feel good about themselves by taking shots at others. Maybe you have noticed that one of your friends has been doing this to you a lot more often than anyone can excuse as gentle ribbing.
If your “friend” regularly takes a moment in most conversations to make cracks about you, that is a huge sign of disrespect. Friends do not belittle friends.
They Never Back You Up
While no one wants a “yes man,” people expect their friends to back them up most of the time. If you have a friend who never goes to bat for you or seconds anything you suggest.
People in this second camp are obviously uncaring about you and this is one crystalline clear instance of disrespect.
You Are Constantly Being Cut Off
Being interrupted while speaking is one of the most obvious signs of disrespect, especially if the person shows no investment in what you are talking about.
If you have a “friend” who does this all the time, you need to bring it up and remind them that such actions are not only disrespectful but super annoying. Friends remember to let other ideas finish and to pay attention to them, even if they have no interest in them.
They Never Congratulate Your Triumphs
A true friend is there to cheer on your cleared challenges and root for you to clear the finish line.
If you have a “friend” who is never there when you need them to be and they never cheer you on, you have a huge power imbalance between the two of you that might never be mended.
They Will Never Apologize
Everyone makes mistakes and good people will always apologize for their transgressions. If you have a friend who never apologizes or simply assumes its unwarranted, you need to let them know that they are being disrespectful.
They Seem to Be On Their Own Time
Nothing is more infuriating than getting together for some event only for the other party to spend the entire event on his phone or talking to anyone but you.
If your friend always prioritizes their phone over quality time with friends, this is disrespect.
They Talk Poorly About You When You Are Not Around
If you ever learn that your friend has been voicing completely different thoughts about you when you are away, you need to seriously reassess your friendship.
A friend is supposed to back you up at all times and this extends to keeping your business and other private affairs private.!
Fun Fact: If you think about it, talking “behind your back” means a person is talking to your face, since the rear of the back is the front.
They Do Not Push You To Pursue What You Desire
Good friends push each other to reach new achievements and milestones.
If you know someone who never urges you on and is more often to suggest you hold back, chances are good that this person is not paying you the level of respect a friend should give.
They Erode Your Confidence
While everyone has a few days where they feel off their game, friends are there to help boost your mood and remind you of how special and unique you are.
“Friends” who take the opposite stance and tear you down lower or even go as far as to use your low to raise themselves higher, are being disrespectful and a crap friend.
They Never Offer A Hand
There are times when we have to ask our friends for help. While it makes sense that our friends cannot always give the help we ask them for, you can usually count on them to come through so long as the favor does not ask more of them than they can give.
Things are slightly different in cases where even the smallest request is shot down by your friend.
Honoring a friendship includes being there in times of trial and crisis; to do otherwise is simply not being a friend.
They Reliably Flake Out
While it would be nice to never let a friend down, sometimes circumstances align to stop the help in time.
When coincidence turns into commonplace activity, when you have a friend who can never be there, it is a good sign that you are being disrespected.
They Always Contact You When You Are Busy
If your friend knows your schedule and that you are currently engaged in something, he will hold off on reaching out to you at a later time, unless it is a true emergency.
In cases where you have a friend who practically blows your phone up with calls and texts during those busy times and is perfectly aware that you are busy, it is pretty disrespectful to assume they will take priority over whatever you are involved with.
Returned Correspondence Is Few and Far Between
Everyone has the occasional moment where they lapse on responding to an e-mail or a phone call or a text and it is normal to wait some amount of time before replying.
This quirk becomes a serious issue of respect when it happens on a regular basis.
For example, you send out invites to some event among all your friends and clearly indicate a specific time and date to meet up.
Considerate, respectful friends will get back to you in a sensible amount of time on whether they can make it or suggest alternate times, dates or venues; inconsiderate jerks will get around to replying mere hours before the time you indicated to say that that time does not work for them and then ask if it could be moved farther into the future.
Ultimately, this sort of behavior shows a willingness to place you far beneath your friend’s other concerns.
In Conclusion
A proper friend shows respect. Without respect, you are just two people with a discrepancy in influence and power. A good friend will get back to you in a timely manner, will reach out to you at appropriate times, will maintain the trust you confide in them, admits when he has wronged you and lots of other things covered in this list.
A bad friend does several of the things we have covered on this list. If you have a “friend” who has only run afoul of one of these offenses, reach out to them and see if the problem can be mended.
If you have a “friend” whom has routinely tripped several of these flags, you may need to seriously reassess your willingness to maintain any sort of relationship with that person.
