Gradual distancing is the most common strategy for ending draining friendships.

People use seven main sub-strategies, from ghosting to frank conversations.

Immediate termination is rare and used in situations of serious betrayal.

A new study published in Personality and Individual Differences explores the dynamics of undesired friendships and how they can be far more complex and prolonged than the dissolution of romantic relationships.

According to Psychologist Menelaos Apostolou of the University of Nicosia in Cyprus, Greece, terminating an undesired friendship might be a necessary evil you need to practice for the sake of your happiness and well-being.

“Having a good network of friends is crucial for leading a happy and fulfilling life, a fact that motivated me to research the phenomenon of friendship,” explains Apostolou. “The network of friends people can have is limited, so by terminating friendships with individuals who are not good friends, people release space in their network for individuals who could be good friends.”

While we’re usually mindful and specific about the qualities we desire in a romantic partner, we might be........

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