8 Signs of Fake Friendship

You've probably met people who sooner or later disappointed you badly. Someone who had feigned friendship suddenly turns on you, or changes in strange ways. Perhaps you are currently doubting the sincerity of a new acquaintance. If you're wondering if there are any early warning signs of unworthiness among new friends, the answer is yes. And we will introduce you to 8 of the most important signals in this article.

1. Fake friends talk but don’t listen

It can occasionally happen that a person has a great compulsion to talk and runs on breathlessly. This becomes a big problem if this is a permanent situation and your counterpart can only talk about himself and his problems all the time. If you try to speak, you are cut off, or your contribution is disparaged. Typically, such people are very selfish or downright enamored with the sound of their own voices. Don’t be surprised if what such a person says has little current relevance or interest to you. Usually, such people are preoccupied with portraying an elevated image of themselves. They repeat the same stories over and over again, or they continue to focus upon situations far in the past.

2. Fake friends do not keep promises and agreements

Again, nobody is perfect. Of course, it could happen that your new acquaintance suddenly was put into a situation in which he could not follow through on a commitment to you for some good reason. Beware if this becomes a pattern. The worst of them will smile, nod, and agree to pretty much anything, but when the time comes for action, he'll leave you in the lurch. On the other hand, were you to fail to meet a commitment to him, you would receive harsh rebukes.

3. Fake friends avoid direct contact

Have you run across this situation? It's always left to you to initiate or maintain contact. Such people operating in this pattern rarely overtly demonstrate their disinterest. As already discussed in the last point, they can make commitments, say yes, yes, and yet force you to have to run after them to try to get them to follow through on their commitments. However, this can only occur if you persist in the effort to maintain contact. If you decide to ignore them, their attitude can suddenly change. Pay attention to how such a person speaks to you or about you. Can such a fake friend even say your name. They'll belittle you or address you with strange nicknames. It's an uncomfortable game of avoidance, dependency, and rejections, and it’s best to avoid people who behave in this way.

4. Fake friends give you advice they never follow

Fake people live in a fake world and play the part of this or that character as if in a play or movie. However, the roles they play are entirely alien to their true natures inside. Among false friends you will also find people who pose as your advisors and supporters. Maybe they are happy to be around when you are having problems, or are just hanging tough. They will advise you and know how to resolve every problem. However, you’ll notice that these same people are in no way able to implement their own problem resolution scenarios—their own good advice. Often they even behave in a manner completely opposite to the wise sermons they love to preach.

5. Fake friends are there when it’s easy for them and missing when you need them

Fake friends are there when it's easy for them and missing when you need them. Another type of fake person doesn't often act as a counselor, but avoids you like the plague when you're feeling down. Are you in a good mood? If you’re in great mental shape, they are by your side. They can admire and flatter you. They keep telling you about how nice it is to be with you and what a great person you are. On the other hand, if you have been in a bad mood for a few days, feel depressed, or are really worried, such friends and acquaintances suddenly disappear. If you have a longer troubled period, and there is simply nothing more to be gained from you, they can break off contact or simply become unreachable. Weeks, months, or even years later, they suddenly reappear. They’ll return only when they are bored, lack other company, or they need your help.

6. Fake friends are only attracted to you because of your influence

Sunshine friends are the people who only seek contact with you because you are in an influential position. This might be your new colleague or an employee who is far below you in rank. But it can just as well be a person who is looking for access to your circle of friends or area of​​expertise. Such people only approach you because you have influence and they expect to gain prestige from the acquaintance. They lose interest as soon as you stop offering assistance, or they realize that you can no longer help them.

7. Fake friends are passive-aggressive

Such people regularly hurl deprecation and attacks in your direction. If you discuss this situation with people, you will get the answer: "It's nothing; you must have misunderstood something." These situations, in which you can see how the other person is trying to attack you or is jealous, keep repeating. Such people love to wrap their deprecation in jokes or sarcasm. If caught in the act, they can promptly withdraw their hostility, but the hostility will persist under the surface. This can be confusing, especially when this person can otherwise behave in a friendly and courteous manner. However, their tone of voice and facial expression will still tell you that this person has some problem with you.

8. Fake friends talk about you behind your back

Finally, comes one of the clearest signs. Fake friends can be very nice and friendly to you. But the moment you turn your back on them, they transform into a completely different person. These people only use their kindness to gain your trust and get information from you. Then they gossip all over the place, pumping themselves up with their inside stories gained at your expense. Some will even harshly attack you in order to gain sympathy for themselves from third parties.

Today’s Conclusion

Perhaps one or more of our points sounds familiar. However, when judging other people, always bear in mind that everyone can behave in an extreme way in exceptional situations. It is only when odd and disappointing behavior occurs regularly that caution is warranted. That's it for today.