12 Types Of People You Should Never Be Friends With

These types of people are not worth having as friends.

Two women are in an outdoor setting with trees in the background. One woman in a red top stands in the background with arms raised, while the woman in the foreground, wearing a pink off-shoulder top, appears upset or uncomfortable, with her hand near her face.

If there’s anyone in your life who seems to sap your will to live every time you hang out with them, you know that on a fundamental level, you’re better off without them. Here are 12 types of so-called “friends” you should avoid by any means necessary.

1. Drama Queens/Kings

A woman on a dimly lit stage performs while holding a script in one hand and gesturing with the other. She wears a long-sleeve shirt and jeans. In the foreground, a person watches from the audience. Red theater seats and stage lights are visible.

These folks thrive on high-energy arguments, tension, upset, and gossip. They’ll muckrake to get reactions out of people, blow any kind of interaction out of proportion so they can thrive on the emotional upheaval they’ve caused, and then demand to be comforted during their hysterical responses to any given situation.

2. Energy Vampires

A woman with long brown hair and wearing a pink sweater and blue jeans sits on the floor against a wall, looking distressed. She rests her forehead on her hand and has an expression of concern, with a bed and wardrobe visible in the background.

An energy vampire will suck all the joy or peace out of any interaction you have with them. If you say that you aren’t feeling well, they’ll tell you all about their ailments so they can take center stage for sympathy. After spending time with them, you may feel depleted for days.

3. Liars

A man with short dark hair wearing a white turtleneck sweater is standing against a plain white background. He is smiling slightly and has one eye closed, as if winking.

The foundation of any relationship is trust, and that goes for friendships too. If those you spend time with are chronic liars, you know that you’ll never be able to count on them, nor can you believe a single word they say. You don’t need people like that in your life.

4. Manipulators

A man with short dark hair and a beard wearing orange-tinted sunglasses and a red sweater stands against a purple background. He has a slight smile and his hands are held together near his chest.

These people are only “friends” with you because you can do something to benefit them, and they will try to influence situations for personal advantage. For example, if you know someone they want to meet, they’ll try to coerce you into taking them to a social function in order to get an introduction.

5. Backstabbers

Two women dressed in business attire stand close together. One woman points at the camera and smiles, while the other, who wears glasses, holds a disposable coffee cup and points as well. They appear to be outside against a wall with greenery in the background.

If they gossip about other people to you, then you know that they’re gossiping about you to others in turn. You can’t tell this person anything sensitive because they’ll betray your confidence at the first opportunity and use sensitive information against you if and when it suits their purpose.

6. Users

Two women are sitting on a couch. The woman on the left is frowning with her arms out. The woman on the right has her hands together and is looking at the other woman with a pleading expression. They appear to be having a serious conversation.

You won’t hear from these people until they need something from you, like help moving their stuff or a couch to crash on. They’ll forget their wallet when you go out together, and will turn to you in a crisis, but they will be unavailable when you need them in turn.

7. Fair-Weather Friends

These are the people who are happy to spend time with you when everything is going well, but who will disappear as soon as things get difficult. Essentially, they don’t want to hang out with (or offer help to) anyone who’s going to “harsh their vibe” or make them feel discomfort.

8. Chronic Complainers

A man in a blue shirt is sitting at a restaurant table with a plate of food, looking confused or frustrated as he talks to a female server who is out of focus. The table has a glass of wine. The background shows shelves with wine bottles and glasses.

Nobody likes to be held captive by someone who’s perpetually complaining about their life—especially if they don’t do anything to improve their situation! Spending time with people like this can tip anyone into depression, as they never have anything good to say and insist upon focusing on bleakness and misery.

9. “Askholes”

Two women are sitting at a table outdoors, engaged in a serious conversation. The woman on the left is holding a white coffee cup and looking intently at the woman on the right, who has her back to the camera. The setting is casual and appears to be a café.

You’ve undoubtedly come across this type before: they perpetually ask you for advice, don’t bother listening to you, end up in an awful mess, and then ask you for your opinion again. Basically, they repeat unhealthy cycles and keep asking for help until they get the answer they want to hear.

10. Boundary Pushers

Three men cheerfully clink glasses in a modern bar. Two hold beer mugs, and one holds a beer bottle. They are smiling and appear to be enjoying their time together. The background features light wooden decor with minimalist designs.

If you give up drinking, they’ll push you to have “just one”. Similarly, if you’re going out with your partner for date night, they’ll “just happen” to show up at the same event. They overstep constantly to see what they can get away with and later insist that it’s “no big deal”.

11. Overly Competitive Types

Two men are running on an outdoor track. The man in the foreground is wearing a grey tank top and blue shorts, while the man in the background is wearing a blue outfit. They are running on a red track with green grass and trees visible in the background.

Everything you do is an opportunity for competition or one-upmanship for people like this. If you get a new car, they’ll get a more expensive one. Are you proud of having deadlifted 300 pounds? That’s cute, brah—they lifted 350 last week, but don’t worry: you’ll catch up eventually, haha.

12. Perpetual Victims

Two women are sitting on a bench outdoors. The woman in the foreground looks upset, resting her head on her hand. The woman in the background is looking at her with a concerned expression. There is green foliage in the background.

These types of friends are incredibly frustrating because they never take accountability for anything that happens to them. They’ll complain and cry about their situations and take it as a personal attack when their own role in their misfortune is pointed out to them. All they want is sympathy and attention—not reality.