OT: Toxic "friends"

[Crycket]

What do you do when you have a toxic friend?

The obvious answer would be to get the person out of you life, but how do you do that without a scene, or can you?

This person is in my life, and other I know don't want her around. She is generally unreliable, unresponsible and generally irritating. I am just not that person to shut people out of my life, but I am afraid, it may get to that...

Any suggestions?

[N0obKnitter]

I just stop talking to them and hope they get the hint lol. My problem is, the toxic person in my life is my mother!

[hookedonknitting]

I call it temporary disassociation. I unfortunately have a very long list right now, which is rather depressing, but they are all my family. It involves forgotten return phone calls, and general no contact. If I am face to face i remain polite, then go on my way. I don't want to totally burn the bridges but at the same time I can't be around them. It is usually followed up after a few years of temporary association....back and forth... I guess that is absolutely no help :( I just find taking some time away from these people helps me cope better, and if we find each other again, then the relationship will be better for the break, If not then not more hurt feelings.

[cftwo]

I find other things to keep me busy and just slowly cut the person out of my life. In most cases, it does not good whatsoever to confront a person like this. The only time I remember confronting someone, I was hoping that the behavior would change, and it didn't, so I basically said "I can't put up with this anymore" and walked out. It did end the relationship abruptly and finally, but it was a lot harder emotionally than just deciding to ignore the person.

[sylvia]

hi
dont waste time
remove yourself from the situation
life is to short to spending time with someone who is toxic
they never change
so move on
sylvia

[sylvia]

and by the way my eyes are crossed
i wiped my screen a couple times before i realized that isnt a real bug
too funny
sylvia

[N0obKnitter]

The bug appears to be popular lol.

[MellieThePooh]

Temporary dissociation is my strategy too...and it would work even better if not for facebook.

[N0obKnitter]

I just removed a guy friend I've had for years on Facebook. I'm tired of the way he treats me so I cut him loose. Deleted him from skype/gmail/msn too. Life's too short to keep people around that only bug the crap out of you.

[Crycket]

The sad thing in all this, is that we like her husband. Unfortunately ignoring her means ignoring him too...*sigh*

Oh well. Can't divorce just the one of them...