Toxic people are manipulative and love to use others for their advantage. They’re the type of people no one would like to be associated with, but as you go through life you will encounter them: Either at work or in your personal life.

Whether it’s the toxic people at work or friends you used to be close with, it’s never easy to deal with these kinds of people. Unless you can confront them or cut them loose, the only option sometimes is to keep your distance from them.

In this article, I share an abundance of quotes about toxic people that can help you deal with this challenging situation. At the end of the post, I share strategies for confronting these poisonous people to take back control of your life.

Toxic People Quotes

  • “Toxic people create chaos, point fingers, shift blame and avoid taking responsibility.” – Anonymous
  • “Some of the most poisonous people disguise themselves as friends and family.” – Anonymous
  • “Pay no attention to toxic words. What people say is often a reflection of themselves, not you.” – Anonymous
  • “Don’t let negative and toxic people rent your space. Raise the rent and kick them out.” – Robert Tew
  • “A toxic people will never change. They just change victims and blame everything on everybody else.” – Anonymous
  • “Arguing with a toxic person is like trying to argue with an actor in play. It doesn’t matter what you say, they will stick to their lines because it is the only role they know.” – Anthony Gucciardi
  • “Letting toxic people go is not an act of cruelty. It’s an act of self-care.” – Anonymous
  • “Toxic people will pollute everything around them. Don’t hesitate. Fumigate.” – Mandy Hale
  • “When dealing with toxic people. Choose distance over disrespect.” – Germany Kent
  • “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions.” – Mark Twain
  • “Toxic people are dangerous people.” – Anonymous
  • “Letting go of toxic people in your life is a big step in loving yourself.” – Hussein Nishah
  • “Don’t waste your time with explanations. People only hear what they want to hear.” – Paulo Coelho
  • “If they do it often, it’s not a mistake. It’s just their behavior.” – Dr. Steve Maraboli
  • “Life is too short for drama, anger, and toxic people. Do away with it.” – Anonymous
  • “It’s so nice when toxic people stop talking to you. It’s like the trash took itself out.” – Nithin Karath
  • “It’s amazing how quickly things turn around when you remove toxic people in your life.” – Robert Tew
  • “Don’t associate yourself with toxic people. It’s better to be alone and love yourself than be surrounded by people that make you hate yourself.” – Robin Williams
  • “Avoiding certain people to protect your mental health is not weakness. It’s wisdom.” – Anonymous
  • “Removing toxic people in your life is actually not the difficult part. Not feeling guilty about it is. “ – Anonymous

Related Reading: 200+ Stay Strong Messages and Quotes for Tough Times 

  • “Please don’t lose the best years of your life being loyal to a toxic person.” – Anonymous
  • “Somebody is mad at you now because you picked peace over drama and distance over disrespect.” – Anonymous
  • “People don’t change. They reveal who they really are.” – Anonymous
  • “What toxic people need to survive: Your attention, your reaction, and your low self-esteem.” – Anonymous
  • “Say goodbye to drama, toxic people, and self-criticism. Say yes to more happiness, time with good friends and love.” – Anonymous
  • “Some people are in such utter darkness that they will burn you just to see a light. Try not to take it personally.” – Kamand Kojouri
  • “Stay away from toxic people. They have a problem for every solution.” – Anonymous
  • “People who create their own drama deserve their own karma.” – Anonymous
  • “When people treat you like they don’t care, believe them.” – Anonymous
  • “Remove yourself from people who treat you like your time doesn’t matter, your feelings are worthless, your soul is replaceable.” – S. McNutt
  • “The only way to win with a toxic people is not to play.” – Anonymous
  • “Some people are naturally negative. They complain, bicker, compare themselves to others, start drama, and simply just see the glass half empty.” – Anonymous
  • “Toxic parents care more about how you make them look than how you actually feel.” – Anonymous
  • “Toxic people enjoy making lives of other people miserable. But the truth is, they hate their lives, they just don’t know it.” – Anonymous
  • “Toxic people don’t care about anyone else but themselves.” – Anonymous
  • “It’s worth wasting your time arguing with a toxic person.” – Anonymous
  • “I automatically delete toxic people in my life. I don’t need that negativity.” – Anonymous
  • “I believe toxic people have poisonous mindsets that continuously look for victims they can torture.” – Anonymous
  • “They usually believe they’re not doing anything wrong.” – Anonymous
  • “A toxic person will never admit they’re wrong.” – Anonymous
  • “Put together a group of toxic people and wait for them to blow up.” – Anonymous
  • “The best revenge you can give to a toxic person is do exactly how he treats you.” – Anonymous

This looks like a toxic relationship to me.

Funny Toxic Quotes

  • “Toxic people demand constant attention to satisfy their high sense of entitlement and inflated ego.” – Anonymous
  • “People be posting about toxic friends when they are exactly THE toxic friend.” – Anonymous
  • “You can’t spell toxic people without including U.” – Anonymous
  • “You’ll never really see how toxic someone else until you breathe fresher air.” – Anonymous
  • “Current status: Distancing myself from bullshit.” – Anonymous
  • “I don’t have time for toxic people. I can’t even be bothered to put on make-up for a date.” – Anonymous
  • “Being with toxic people is like eating a bad fruit. I don’t want to hate the fruit, but I’d rather eat chocolates.” – Anonymous
  • “If you feel like your friend is a toxic person, stay away from him. Life is already full of shit to have to deal with more on your own.” – Anonymous
  • “I wish toxic people would recognize themselves and group themselves instead of spreading toxic to good, healthy people.” – Anonymous
  • “If there can be a planet where we throw away toxic people, I’d be happy to drive them to space.” – Anonymous
  • “Toxic people have so much time on their hands to spread negativity. I wish I had the same but I only have 24 hours a day.” – Anonymous
  • “I can’t be bothered by toxic people. They look so shitty when you look closely. I don’t like looking at ugly beings.” – Anonymous
  • “I am so good at recognizing toxic people in my life that I can smell them from a mile away.” – Anonymous

“I’d rather have no friends at all if the only ones left are toxic people who can’t get over themselves.” – Anonymous

  • “Toxic people should learn new skills and hobby than constantly honing being a shithead to everyone in their life.” – Anonymous
  • “I spend so much time and money for my skin care just to be stressed from all the negativity of a toxic friend.” – Anonymous
  • “If you ever feel guilty about removing toxic people in your life, just think of them as trash which you remove in your life on a daily basis.” – Anonymous
  • “Toxic people are not worth my time. I get paid a lot and I’m not letting toxic people rob me of the peace and quiet in my life.” – Anonymous
  • “Toxic people drain your energy like a vacuum. I’d rather spend my energy losing all the fats in my body.” – Anonymous
  • “Not even a holy water can bring a toxic person back to life.” – Anonymous
  • “The negative energy from a toxic person can light up the whole universe.” – Anonymous

“Out of all the great things you can become as a person, you chose to be toxic? You’re so bad at making decisions in life.” – Anonymous

  • “A lot of toxic people think they’re cool but they’re actually the exact opposite of cool.” – Anonymous
  • “It takes a whole lot of positive energy to turn your hatred to toxic people into a meaningless thought in your mind.” – Anonymous
  • “Toxic people talk about how toxic people are shit as if they are not THE toxic people they’re describing.” – Anonymous
  • “If I can only put a mirror up in front of a toxic person every time one talks about how shitty toxic people are. Honey, it’s you.” – Anonymous
  • “It’s a constant battle to get rid of toxic people in your life. Gear up for it!” – Anonymous
  • “I’d choose to exercise every morning than deal with toxic people in the morning.” – Anonymous
  • “Don’t you dare talk to me in the morning until I’ve had my coffee. Unless you’re a toxic person, don’t you dare talk to me any time of day, even after I’ve had my coffee.” – Anonymous 

Removing Toxic Friends Quotes

  • People inspire you or they drain you. Pick them wisely.” – Anonymous
  • The idea is simple. Stay a light year away from people who make you feel less about yourself.” – Anonymous
  • “Poisonous relationships can alter our perception. You can spend many years thinking you’re worthless. But you’re not worthless. You’re underappreciated.” – Anonymous
  • “Associate yourself with people of good quality, for it’s better to be alone than in bad company.” – Booker T. Washington
  • “You create more space in your life when you turn your excess baggage to garbage.” – Anonymous
  • “Sometimes to keep yourself together, you must allow yourself to leave. Even if breaking your own heart is what it takes you let you breathe.” – Erin Hanson
  • “It’s not healthy to stay with people who don’t even bother to ask how you are.” – Anonymous
  • “A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down.” – Anonymous
  • “Life is too short. Don’t waste it with negative people who don’t appreciate you. Keep them in your heart but keep them out of your life.” – Anonymous
  • “I’ve finally acknowledged that some friends are simply toxic so they’ve been cut loose.” – Anonymous
  • “You don’t ever have to feel guilty about removing toxic people from your life. You don’t have to make room for people who cause you pain or make you feel small. If a person disregards your feelings, ignores your boundaries and continues to treat you in a harmful way, they need to go.” – Danielle Koepke
  • “You can’t change someone who doesn’t see an issue with his actions.” – Anonymous
  • “One important rule to be happy in life: Remove toxic people.” – Anonymous
  • “If you walked away from a toxic, negative, abusive, one-sided, dead-end low-vibrational relationship or friendship – you won.” – Anonymous
  • “Sometimes you need to give up on people. Not because you don’t care but because they don’t.” – Anonymous

“Don’t let getting lonely make you reconnect with toxic people. You shouldn’t drink poison because you’re thirsty.” – Anonymous

  • “They will ignore you until they need you.” – Anonymous
  • “There are people who break you down by just being them. They need not do anything. Dissociate.” – Malebo Sephodi
  • “Sometimes friends are like pennies. Two-faced and worthless.” – Anonymous
  • “You are allowed to eliminate toxic relationships. You are allowed to walk away from people who hurt you. You don’t owe anyone an explanation for taking care of yourself.” – Anonymous
  • “If you’re brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello.” – Anonymous
  • “The sooner you let them go, the better it is for you.” – Anonymous
  • “Don’t ever feel guilty about removing toxic people in your life.” – Anonymous
  • “Life’s too short to deal with toxic people in your life. Delete them if you must.” – Anonymous
  • “Do yourself a favor and remove toxic people in your life if you need to.” – Anonymous
  • “Removing toxic people in my life is like another one of my skincare routines. Girl, the fine lines from stress isn’t worth it!” – Anonymous 

A bad relationship at work or in your personal life can push you to the brink.

Quotes About Toxic Relationships

  • “One bad relationship could make you never fall in love again.” – Anonymous
  • “You are not a rehab. It’s not your job to fix everyone.” – Anonymous
  • “They’ll stab you in the lungs and ask why you’re having trouble breathing.” – Anonymous
  • “Stop setting yourself on fire to keep someone else warm.” – Anonymous
  • “The moment you start to wonder if you deserve better, you do.” – Anonymous
  • “Toxic people condition you to believe the problem isn’t the abuser, but your reactions to their abuse.” – Anonymous
  • “Sometimes, trying to fix them breaks you.” – Anonymous
  • “Being single is better than being in a wrong relationship.” – Anonymous
  • “You’re in a relationship to be happy, to smile, to laugh, and to make good memories. Not be constantly upset, to feel hurt, and to cry.” – Anonymous
  • “What we wait around a lifetime for with one person we can find in a moment with someone else.” – Stephanie Klein

“If he makes you lose your family, lose your friends, lose your confidence, lose your self-esteem, or lose happiness, then you need to lose him.” – Anonymous

  • “Don’t settle for a relationship that won’t let you be yourself.”- Oprah
  • “Don’t waste your time on people who treat you good on day, then act like you don’t exist the next day.” – Anonymous
  • “Toxic people attach themselves like cinder blocks tied to your ankle, and then invite you for a swim in their poisoned waters.” – John Mark Green
  • “Toxic relationships can create toxic hearts. Remove yourself from the relationship before your toxic heart tries to remove you from your peace.” – Anonymous
  • “You are allowed to eliminate toxic relationships. You are allowed to walk away from people who hurt you. You are allowed to be angry and selfish and unforgiving. You don’t anyone an explanation for taking care of yourself.” – Anonymous
  • “You can never save someone by letting them destroy you. That’s not love, it’s relational suicide. Save yourself instead. Get out while you still can.” – John Mark Green
  • “You cannot heal in the same place you got sick.” – Anonymous
  • “Toxic relationships are like good pasta that has been overcooked.” – Anonymous
  • “Lose him when he treats you like a girlfriend behind closed doors and sees right past you in public.” – Liane White
  • “Just say no to complicated, dead-end, unhealthy and toxic relationships.” – Stephanie Lahart

“A relationship without trust is like car without gas. You can stay in love all you want but you can’t go anywhere.” – Anonymous

  • “Relationships based on obligation lack dignity.” – Wayne Dyer
  • “If you’re giving your all and it’s not enough, you’re probably giving it to the wrong person.” – Anonymous
  • “Relationships are not supposed to make you feel bad.” – Anonymous
  • “Clutter is not just physical stuff. It’s old ideas, toxic relationships and bad habits. Clutter is anything that does not support your better self.” – Anonymous
  • “When you take your blindfold off, you’ll see the light.” – Anonymous
  • “Toxic relationships not only make us unhappy, they corrupt our attitudes and dispositions in ways that undermine healthier relationships and prevent us from realizing how much better things can be.” – Michael Josephson
  • “You learn more about someone at the end of a relationship than at the beginning.” – Anonymous
  • “You are not part of a toxic family when you walk away.” – Anonymous
  • “If someone isn’t honoring your feelings, it’s not a real relationship.” – Doreen Virtue
  • “Sometimes we refuse to see how bad something is until it completely destroys us.” – Anonymous 

Don’t let other people bring you down.

Messages to Toxic People

  • I hope you get the help you need because if you continue being the toxic person you are today, you’ll lose your friends and family.
  • It makes me sad how you’ve become the person you are now. You were my best friend but now I feel like I don’t know you anymore.
  • I wish you the best but I also hope you take a step back and rethink your actions and decisions in life. Friends won’t always understand why you’re being so negative but at least make an effort to be better for yourself.
  • I don’t miss you at all. I realized life became so much better without you in it.
  • I hope I don’t see you anymore. You’re the shittiest person I know.
  • Karma will come running back to you. Hope you’re ready.
  • Get help when you can. You’re going to lose the people who are dear to you if you don’t change.
  • I don’t know how you became so toxic. We were best friends but everything changed because of you.
  • If you experience how toxic you’ve been to your friends, you would be ashamed of yourself.
  • I’d rather have a few friends without you than have you in my life.

Related Reading: 131+ Welcome Back to Work and the Office Message Examples 

  • I will never forget how toxic you are to me as your friend.
  • I didn’t deserve how you treated me. Now that we’re not together anymore, I hope you realize how bad and toxic you’ve become.
  • There’s no space in my life for people like you.
  • You’re a piece of shit who don’t deserve friends and family.
  • If you don’t change your ways now, you’ll wake up one day without the people you care about.
  • I didn’t know I could hate you as much as I hate you now.
  • We were best friends for more than 10 years. But because of how you treat me, I am willing to let the 10 years go. I deserve a friend who cares for me, not the one who always puts me down.
  • I can’t believe we used to be friends. I don’t even recognize you right now.
  • Thanks for making me realize why it was a good decision to cut you off in my life.
  • I thought I will regret cutting you off as my friend but I’m actually really happy to be living peacefully in my life knowing you’re not here to bother me anymore.
  • The stress I got from you was never and will never be worth it. I hate you so much.
  • I hope you realize you’re the reason we’re not friends anymore.
  • This friendship with you isn’t worth all the negativity and stress you’ve given me.
  • I can’t wait to cut you off from my life.
  • We used to hate toxic people, how did you suddenly become one?

Toxic coworkers can cause ripple effects in your personal life.

Why do people become toxic?

Some people become toxic because of their past. The behavior could stem from a bad childhood. It can also be caused by insecurity, not having the confidence in their own life, and constantly thinking that they have to compete with people when they should only be competing against themselves.

Sometimes it’s a combination of everything from one’s social life to past trauma. Often, toxic people don’t realize they’re becoming the person they hated and are harming relationships with friends and family.

What are the traits of a toxic person?

There are a few common traits of a toxic person. Some personality traits obvious while others can remain hidden from view for years. Familiarize yourself with these traits so you know when you need to break free from an unhealthy situation.

They’re manipulative – Toxic people will do things and say words that will manipulate their family and friends. If they invite you to dinner, they will text and ask if you’re free on a certain day with a follow-up message to make you feel bad if you’re not available. Instead of taking actions to deepen a relationship, but they exploit situations for their goals.

They’re insincere – People make mistakes, we all do. But when a toxic person does something wrong and you point it out to them, they might play the victim instead of taking ownership for a mistake. You can’t expect them to mean what they say because all they think about is themselves. They don’t care about others. They apologize when they feel it will benefit them personally.

Related Reading: 450+ Positive Monday Captions and Quotes to Boost Your Mood 

They don’t listen to you – When you need someone to talk to about your life and your problems, you’ll notice that a bad friend’s attention is fading. Their attention will quickly drift to something else or ask you a question about themselves or distract you. They’re not there to listen to you because all they want is to talk about themselves.

They make you feel bad – Hanging out with friends and family should make you feel good after. These interactions should bring you joy. But when you hang out with someone and realize that you feel bad after it, think back at how the conversation went and find the reason why you don’t feel good. Maybe they were constantly nagging about you not losing weight, about your appearance, or making you feel bad that you weren’t available for something. Toxic people have the ability to make you feel bad about your behavior, situations, and in some cases looks.

What are some ways you can respond to toxic people?

It can be difficult but if you learn how to respond to toxic people, but you can learn to minimize the effect they have on you. If you know someone who’s become toxic to you or someone you care about, here are some ways you can respond to them.

Ignore them – Toxic people do things because they enjoy how you respond to them. They like seeing the result of their actions. If you want them to stop, ignore them and pretend like their actions don’t affect you. They’ll get tired and eventually stop bothering you with all the negativity.

Confront them – It may be difficult as most toxic people don’t realize how bad they’ve become. Some might not even recognize the fact that they’re becoming toxic to their friends and family. If you can, confront them and tell them exactly how you feel and how bad they’ve become.

Cut them off in your life – Completely cutting them off in your life is probably the most effective way to respond to toxic people. Life isn’t all rainbows and butterflies and it doesn’t help that there are toxic people who add to life’s drama you don’t deserve. Cut them off. Stop talking to them, stop responding when they reach out, and delete them on social media. Don’t engage in communication and disconnect so they don’t have any way to contact you. Then you can focus your time and efforts on the positive aspects of your life.

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