Wondering what makes a friend toxic
Does a friend have to be directly mean to you to be toxic or can other things count as well? I have a friend who is always nice and polite to me but he always brings up negative, scary or depressing things. I sometimes wonder if that has an impact on my mental health as I have struggles with anxiety and depression.
I think it's important to let friends know when they are talking about things that are potentially triggering or are upsetting for you personally. A good friend will start avoiding those subjects out of respect for you. If not, then they may not be in a good emotional space, and it's okay to take a break or find other friends. If this person needs to talk through their feelings, perhaps suggest that you are happy to be a positive distraction, but they may need to find someone else to discuss these things with, because you don't have the knowledge and experience to support them at this time.