Toxic Friendship: How to Recognize Competitiveness Among Friends.

Competitiveness

When we live in a world full of comparisons, it’s hard not to become competitive.It’s worth noting that you can have a completely friendship based on competition - sporting events, quizzes, and games, for example - and there is nothing wrong with that. The problem arises when competition spills into areas of life where you don’t agree to compete: relationships, work, appearance, fitness, even parenting or kids.Competitiveness increases if you are in the same fields, classes, or positions in life.

Gossip

Competitiveness may not always be obvious; it may be hidden as anxiety or manifest as petty gossip, which can significantly affect your self-esteem.Tanya Reynolds, a graduate student in the Department of Psychology at CSU, found that adult women often use gossiping techniques to damage another woman's reputation and try to gain an advantage in relationships.From a 2018 research pattern, it appears that competitors can be major agents of bullying and harmful rumors.

The 'Queen Bee' Phenomenon

Espher Cole, a consulting clinical psychologist at Lifespan Psychology, talked about the 'Queen Bee' phenomenon - a phenomenon where people are criticized, envied, or attacked for their success. This can occur in the workplace and other social environments.In the dynamics of friendship, the 'Queen Bee' can occur when people around you 'do not want you to be more successful than them, and this can lead to social rejection and isolation from the group.'

Recognizing the 'Laughing Killer'

To determine whether you are in a competitive friendship dynamic, Ryan advised asking yourself whether 'you walk away from the group feeling diminished, inadequate, and unappreciated.'If the answer is yes, then 'you may be in the presence of a 'laughing killer.'The observation of competitiveness and gossip in friendships among women, which accompanies the plot of the third season of White Lotus, uncovers important aspects of relationships and social dynamics among the fairer sex.