What would you do if you realize your friend is fake?

You have lots of friends, social media contacts and acquaintances. But do you really feel drawn to them? How would you know if a friend is real? Sometimes you might want to ‘test’ them to find out. But then how would you react if you discover that your supposed friend was actually fake?

A popular adage says ‘No man is an Island’. This statement is very true because as humans, we all need one or two special persons we can always run to when we are in need.

Friendship is one of the best aspects of life, but distinguishing between a real and fake friend can be difficult sometime. So, how would you be able to tell your real friends from the fake ones? LifeXtra takes a look.

Gonified Bro, who resides in Kano, told LifeXtra that he will get rid of them. ”I will wipe them off my friendlist like teachers do white chalk on black board.”

Jos-based Benny DCapricorn said “In all honesty, I will keep a distance as it is a dangerous road to tread. A fake friend can be your damnation. They act all nice in your presence but bury you in your absence.”

“Keeping the distance is saving your life and integrity,” he concluded.

Concurring with Benny, Mrs. Lami Jonathan, a mother of two, said “Fake friends are toxic people. In other words, they are very dangerous. If they can hide who they really are for a very long time before you discover who they are, then it means they can kill.”

Citing a personal experience, Mrs. Jonathan said, “I once had a friend whom I regarded as a sister. But when she started behaving funny, that was when I knew who she really was because she hid her real identity from the onset. All the while she pretended to be what she wasn’t.”

“So I just stopped associating with her, I delisted her from my friends list. And when she noticed that my behavior towards her was cold and icy, she came to me and wanted to know why I was behaving like that towards her. I just had to open up and tell her that I was no longer comfortable with our friendship. And she left.”

Another respondent, who gave her name as Asa Remmy, said she will also unfriend the person immediately.

“I will just unfriend the person quickly because I hate such people. I mean, I trusted you so why take my friendship for granted?” She said.

Delta State-based Sarah Eguwe told LifeXtra “I’ll keep talking to her, but we won’t be close anymore.”

“We will still be friends but I will keep my distance and mind what I tell her or do around her,” said another respondent who gave her name as Mummy Godwin.

Differentiating between fake friends and real friends, the article ‘11 Differences Between Real Friends and Fake Friends’, by Morgan Hegarty stated “A real best friend will encourage you with anything that you try! Whether it be taking up square dancing, or changing your career path, a real friend will be there every step of the way.”

It added “With fake friends, a mistake can cost you a friendship. Real friends will know that sometimes you’ll mess up. They will forgive you because they value your friendship more than your temporary mistake.”