'Crisis friend' is a toxic friendship trend going viral. What is it?

Key Points:

• TikTok has popularized the term "crisis friend" to describe friends who only reach out during their personal emergencies, often leading to one-sided relationships focused on supporting their crises.
• Experts emphasize distinguishing between a "crisis friend" who is perpetually in distress and a "friend in crisis" experiencing a temporary difficult period, highlighting the importance of context and reciprocity in friendships.
• Healthy friendships involve mutual support and balance over time, with periods of imbalance being normal if the overall relationship is strong and reciprocal.
• The current loneliness epidemic means people have fewer friends, which can lead to increased reliance on a small number of friends for emotional support, sometimes creating the appearance of "crisis friendships."
• Experts recommend evaluating the health of such friendships carefully and offer guidance for managing relationships with crisis friends or recognizing if one may be acting as a crisis friend.