Romantic relationships are not the only relationships that end.
Sometimes in life you'll find that it is necessary to end a friendship.
The fact is, not all friendships are created equal.
Some can be toxic, drain you, send you down the wrong path in life or just be downright abusive.
If you've found yourself in a friendship you need to end, here are five steps to help you end it as healthfully as possible.
Step One: Mentally prepare yourself.
Ending a relationship of any kind is not a pleasant task, so you'll need to be in as healthy a mindset as you can be before breaching the topic with your friend.
No matter how you choose to end the friendship, via phone or in person, you'll want to take a moment to gather your thoughts so that you're confident in your decision.
Step Two: Come to terms with the fact that this is the end.
The one thing you don't want to do is go through the effort of breaking up with you friend only to waver afterward or breakdown and get right back into it.
You need to accept the fact that this is a break up and move on with your life.
It might help to write down a few clear reasons why you feel the need to end the friendship.
That way you can remain steadfast in your decision.
Step Three: Give your friend a chance to speak.
It's important that you get feedback from your friend once the break-up process begins.
Ask them how they're feeling or if they have anything they need to get off of their chest.
This is an opportunity for growth here.
Sometimes the problem might be you and you're your soon-to-be-ex-friend might be able to bring that to light.
You'll be able to tell rather quickly if the things that depart from your friend's lips are helpful or just more toxic.
If the latter is the case, do not take what he or she is saying to heart.
Step Four: Expect to lose acquaintances.
Just as you lose friends during a romantic break up, expect to lose acquaintances when you end a friendship.
The fact of the matter is, right or wrong, other people will feel the need to choose sides.
As humans, we have a natural need to organize our lives, friendships and all, so that they're neat and as comfortable as possible.
For this simple reason, people you're used to hanging out with may not hang out with you at all if they feel more loyalty or a stronger connection toward your now ex-friend.
Step Five: Give yourself time to grieve.
You just lost a friend so it's okay to act like it.
It perfectly normal to be sad about ending a friendship, regardless of how toxic the friendship was.
This is a person that you once confided in, spent time with and built memories with--good and bad.
In time, you'll realize that your decision was the right decision to make and be able to congratulate yourself of handling it so well.
Just like romantic relationships end, sometimes a friendship needs to end, too.
Regardless of its duration, if your friendship is not a healthy one you should not move forward.
If you find that that's the case, use these five steps to ensure you end your friends in a healthy manner.