How do you deal with friends that are leeches or energy vampires?

14 comments

1. Drop them. So so fast.

2. I cut them off. I don’t have any room for discussions or excuses when it comes to that kind of stuff.

3. Set boundaries. If they don’t respect the boundaries, end the friendship.

4. [removed]

5. I don’t bother with people like that. THere was this one woman who is like that who used to be in the group but I just stayed away from her

6. Unfriend them fast, life is tiring enough without so-called friends zapping your energy too

7. I don’t. Seriously, energy leeches are the worst.

8. By not having people like that as friends, I just can’t deal with them

9. If it’s a phase because they’re going through something, I’m there for them. Listen to them and give them advice when they ask for it. It isn’t fun, but that’s what friends are supposed to be there for.

   If they’re just like that always, then they wouldn’t be my friend

10. They aren’t your friend if you feel that way about them.

11. For your own mental health (and at times physical health), boot them to the curb. I unfortunately tolerated one for 9 years. I should have cut ties once she didn’t come back to college for the second year, but unfortunately we lived relatively close by away from college, so I felt obligated to be friends. We both went up for the 2nd year graduation (by this point knew her for 3 years) and one of the guys who didn’t do first year, but did second year asked about her, I basically told him that she is a leech and don’t get attached and don’t let her get attached to you. He got laid that night, but he listened to me and didn’t ask for her number. But yeah, she was all about her and everyone else had to cater to her. One of the last times I saw her, I stayed at her place and she had a man there too, and my last morning, I got up and got ready to get to the station for the train…and they were…busy. Her son was up and playing by himself and had been for a few hours at that point.

12. I cut them off

13. I wholly tell them they make me feel like I am being used and unless that doesn’t end, the friendship will. Whatever happens after that will help me decide what to do, I like to give people the benefit of doubt since not everyone just can see things the same way I do.

14. If they are also malicious or aggressive in any way, end the friendship and cut contact.

    If not, restrict interactions to a few times a year, mostly by under 100 words via text or social media dms.