I'm A Toxic Person.

Admitting that you might have a problem is 100x a step in the right direction and you should be VERY proud of it (I mean, assuming what they're saying is actually true, occasionally it's the friends that are toxic). Day after day, I see posts on here blaming everyone but themselves, and all the comments are excusing their behavior and encouraging it. I have worked through depression myself, my whole life, and have had someone toxic constantly out to ruin any happiness I might get, so I just tear my hair out seeing people excuse this behavior.

Another common behavior with abusive friends is attacking and then trying to make up for it. Remember, and keep telling yourself, that you can't make it better by apologizing. If you are an asshole to a friend, don't expect them to forgive you. Even if they say they do, they may not trust you afterward. Either way, it's completely in their court by then. So it's always best to restrain yourself from hurting them even if everything in your body is telling you to do so.

You may lose some friendships and may have to start out fresh, but don't look back. You have nowhere to look but up now. It's never too late to start doing the right thing.

Recognize your problem areas and the role your brain chemistry plays in it. If you're prone to rage, try to mentally restrain yourself no matter what you're angry about. Never insult others or accuse them of not caring (if they really don't care, simply get a new friend, don't make your old one suffer). It might not even be your fault; explosive rage can be induced chemically and can be difficult to try, but you owe it to your own well being and those around you to try your best to control it.

That said, hurting yourself over this doesn't help anybody. All anyone wants is for you to treat them better. Simply making that change is all you need to do, there is no need to hurt yourself. You'll only scare your loved ones by doing so.

/r/depression Thread