These are the warning signs you should watch out for.

We meet a lot of people throughout our lives. Most of them come and go. Some end up staying by our sides for a really long time.

In between, we also encounter another kind of people: the toxic ones. These are people we come across at one point or another, unaware of their toxic personalities, get close to them, and let them have a huge negative impact on our lives and the way we view human relationships.

Dealing with a toxic person can be difficult and draining, to say the least. They create unnecessary complexity, strife, and, worst of all, endless stress.

Once you spot a toxic person, eliminating them from your life is essential for your happiness and peace of mind.

I’ve encountered so many toxic people in my life, that I’ve learned all about their traits. Here are the seven signs you should watch out for.

1. They Try to Control You by Guilt Tripping You

Guilt can be a powerful weapon and toxic people know how to use it masterfully.

Let me give you an example. Let’s say you need to finish a project for work and you’re running out of time. Suddenly, you get a call from your toxic friend asking you to go out for a drink. Obviously, you have no choice but to refuse.

Then, they get all “But I feel so lonely/I don’t want to stay at home/No one wants to go out with me” on you.

Boom. You’re immediately overwhelmed with guilt and end up going out at your expense.

Ladies and gentlemen, that’s typical behavior of a toxic person. They always try to control you and get what they want by guilt-tripping you. Even when you’ve done nothing wrong, they imply their situation is somehow your fault and that you are obligated to find a solution.

2. They Are Easily Jealous

When you tell your friend, partner, or any other person close to you that you landed a good job, got a promotion, met someone really interesting, or any positive thing that happened to you, they are supposed to be happy for you, right?

Well, that is, unless they have a toxic personality. I still remember the time when I told my best friend, years ago, that I landed my first job — she was probably more enthusiastic and happy about it than I was.

That would never be the case with a toxic person. Every time you tell them something good that happened to you, they immediately get jealous — especially if you got something they don’t have.

For example, if both you and your toxic friend have been single for a while and you tell them one day you just entered a new relationship, they will get so jealous that they will try anything to sabotage your relationship.

They will tell you it’s not the right timing, they will search for flaws in your partner, and basically will try to convince you that you are better off single. And of course, not because they are looking out for you, but because they are extremely jealous.

3. They Think They Are Superior to Everyone and Expect to Be Treated That Way

Toxic people have the tendency to believe that they are far better than anyone else around them.

You’ll see them sitting in a cafeteria and expect the waitress to talk to them as if they were royalty. You’ll see them cutting the line at the supermarket without a single care for the people waiting in front of them.

They’re the kind of people that, when out with a group of friends, will expect all eyes to be on them all the time. In other words, they believe they are the center of the universe and expect people to worship them.

4. Nothing You Do for Them Gets Appreciated or Returned

Whenever someone close to me asks me for help, or to do them a favor, I happily oblige. I do that because I genuinely care about them and I want to help them. I don’t expect anything in return.

Nevertheless, it still sucks when you’re always there for someone, always rushing to be by their side whenever they have to deal with a problem, only for them to give you a “Sorry, I don’t think I can help you right now” every time you ask them for a favor.

What sucks even more, is you going out of your way to aid someone, and the latter not even appreciating it.

I’m telling you all these because that’s how toxic people behave. They don’t appreciate you going out of your way to help them. They don’t notice the little things you do to make them happy. And they certainly aren’t there for you when you’re going through a difficult time.

5. They Do Not Respect Your Boundaries

We all have our boundaries, some people more than others.

I used to have a friend that didn’t respect mine at all. She would always call me at noon, although I had asked her numerous times not to because my dad would be sleeping.

She would always pressure me to bring her along whenever I had planned to go out with some of my other friends. She would send me countless messages when I was at work and then complain if I left them unanswered.

She would also try to convince me to do things I didn’t want to do, like drugs and sex with strangers.

That’s typical of a toxic person. They don’t care in the slightest for your personal boundaries and they keep trying to break them. Do not let them.

6. They Always Judge You and Your Choices

“People inspire you, or they drain you — pick them wisely.” — Hans F. Hansen

One quality I’ve always searched for in people is the ability to accept others just as they are, without judging their personality, attitude, or choices.

We all come from different backgrounds, have been raised in different families, and go through different experiences that continuously shape our character.

Thus, it is completely natural to like different things, to have different goals and dreams, and to simply behave differently.

Toxic people cannot accept anything that feels different from them. They will always judge you and your choices and will try to convince you to lead your life following their example.

7. They See Everything as a Competition

People who genuinely care about you will celebrate every one of your victories with you. They will support your dreams and help you to accomplish your goals.

Toxic people, on the other hand, will see your success as a challenge for them. They will try to compete with you in everything you do.

Let me give you an example. In college, I used to hang out with a girl who always seemed like she craved to surpass me in everything. From scoring a higher grade to finding a better-looking partner.

Whenever I had a small success in something or I would take another step towards a goal of mine, she would tell me something along the lines of “Oh, cool, good for you” and then she would rush to find a way to do better than me.

Fortunately, it wasn’t long until I realized how toxic her behavior was and vowed never to speak to her again. You, too, should surround yourself with people who inspire you and don’t compete with you.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, I’ve had my fair share of toxic relationships.

Unfortunately, that’s true for most people out there. Whether it is at school, college, or your workplace, at one point in your life, you’re bound to have come across a toxic person who ended up making your life complicated and challenging.

Once a person proves to be toxic, don’t ever think you can change them. If you spot a person with toxic qualities, do yourself a favor and eliminate them from your life.

Do not let them steal your happiness. Stick to your guns, set some clear boundaries, and let them go.