Are you a victim of friend abuse?

A good friend can stand by us through thick and thin. But what if our closest friend brings us more problems than perks? According to a study conducted by the Today Show and Self magazine's websites (www.today.com and www.self.com) in May of 2011, eight out of 10 people have had a toxic friend in their lives—yet 83 percent say they've hung onto them because it's too hard to sever ties. So why is it so difficult to get rid of these people who make our lives miserable?

Jen Weigel

October 18, 2011