Ending a Toxic Friendship: Breaking Your Telephone Addiction Part I

An addict is someone who has a habit so strong that he or she can't easily give it up. Some of you are "Telephone Addicts" and don't even know it. If you don't believe me just keep on reading and as you read, keep the following in mind:

If you are serious about ending a toxic friendship and you have frequent telephone conversations with your friend, you are going to have to overcome your "Telephone Addiction". Communicating with your toxic friend is the one thing that will keep you trapped in toxicity.

Of course the first step to overcoming any addiction is to first admit that you are indeed an addict...

Characteristics of a telephone addict:

1. Inability to resist the urge to answer the phone every time your toxic friend calls even though you really don't want to talk to him or her

2. Engaging in one telephone gripe session after another with your toxic friend

3. Spending hours actually listening to your toxic friend rattle on about his or her life, drama and issues

4. Spending hours pretending to listen to your friend rattle on about his or her life, drama and issues

5. Talking to your friend excessively on either your house or cell phone, multiple times per day and usually about nothing

6. Calling your friend or vice versa at a specific time each and every day without missing a beat.

7. Anticipating a call from your friend although you really don't want to talk to him or her, you just want to hear their voice because you have you become accustomed to receiving your daily dose of toxicity

8. Inability to make it through the day without calling your friend at least once per day

Once you have decided that you are indeed a telephone addict, you must then develop a plan of action so that you may overcome your addiction.

If you find yourself doing any of the following things while talking on the telephone with your toxic friend, think of them as just little reminders of why you need to free yourself from the toxicity. Use them to help you develop your plan of action for overcoming your addiction.

1. Holding the phone away from your ear or setting it down on the table while your friend rattles on and on