The 10 traits of highly toxic people

It’s easy to mistake a toxic person with someone who is annoying but harmless. A toxic person can actually do more damage to you than you think because of their manipulative nature.

But how do you spot a toxic person? One of the easiest things to notice is how their negative energy always brings the moods of others down and that they are not very reciprocal when it comes to compliments and acknowledging the talents or hard work of others.

Is there a toxic person in your midst? Here are ten traits of toxic people who you should stay away from.

1. The Egotist
There is a difference between having pride and being blatantly arrogant. Arrogant people are full of themselves and believe they are better or superior to everyone around them. Avoid being around someone who doesn’t treat you with respect but rather intimidates and belittles you as this can be toxic to your personal development.

2. The Envious
Some people love seeing you face difficult times rather than enjoying a victory. This is because they believe they deserve your moment of success and not you. You can try to get them on your side by letting them know they are a part of your success, but unfortunately, their jealousy will only make them resent you for your humility.

3. The Pretentious
This is probably the most common characteristic of a toxic person you’ve noticed. They only act friendly when they need your help but when you need their help, they tend to stay in their own world. When a problem occurs, they will pretend to not know and will not be bothered to help. They are unreliable, cannot be counted on and you must recognise their pretentious traits and establish boundaries within such relationships.

4. The Retrogressive
You know those people who don’t really want you to progress? They believe in being stagnant and want you to be the same person you were. This type may be hard to pinpoint, but they are people who have always being an integral part of your life and may seem difficult to ignore. But it will be better to make them aware and remind them how important success is to you. if they can’t live with it, they can walk out the door.

5. The Judgmental
Nothing is ever good enough for this type of person. They believe everyone should be criticised and scolded rather than praised. Even when intentions are good and you try to make them understand your genuine motives, they wouldn’t listen. They are terrible communicators since they are not good listeners. Squashing their negative talk or avoiding their disdainful speech could be helpful to your progress.

6. The Controller
This type is a control freak. They can be devious, mischievous and sly in trying to twist or out-muscle you to fulfil their desires. Rising above such people may be your best option since you really can’t convince or try to make them better.

7. The Liar
It’s true that lies are common and some lies aren’t harmful; however, toxic people who lie frequently can destroy you because in order to grow, you have to surround yourself with trustworthy people who will support you and offer candid and honest opinions.

8. The Gossiper
Because they are insecure, they use their tongue to twist facts and distort information. They want to be accepted and recognised and doing so may just be the only way they can get the attention they want. Even when you try to solve the problems they have caused, the only way you can truly solve the issue is to kick them out of your life, because they can be cancerous.

9. The Parasite
It’s great to be helpful to others but unfortunately parasites will only interested in sucking you dry and feeding off of you. Their intentions are only for their self interest so avoid them at all cost.

10. The Victim
The victims never accept responsibility. They are great at pointing their fingers at others and never accepting that they have made a mistake. What chain reaction they cause can be detrimental to your success. It is best to get rid of such people and get them out of your life.

Do you have a toxic person in your life?