Power trips have drained the life out of my friendships. It’s infuriating and demoralizing to feel like the people closest to you have a compulsion to always be “in charge.” I get it—everyone wants to feel important sometimes, but when it becomes constant, it wrecks everything. Instead of mutual respect, it turns into a tug-of-war where I’m always being pulled into their need for control.
I’ve seen it play out in subtle ways—interrupting, dismissing my ideas, or making me feel small during disagreements—and it leaves a bitter taste. Worst of all, they don’t seem to notice how their behavior makes me feel, or worse, they don’t care. I’ve reached the point where I don’t even want to open up or share anymore because, why bother? They’re going to shoot it down or twist it to fit their narrative.
It’s exhausting, and sometimes I think—why am I even holding onto this? Friendships are supposed to lift you up, not pull you down into someone else's insecurity. And honestly, when the power-tripping starts, it’s like they’re not even my friend anymore; they’re just someone trying to win at every interaction. It’s heartbreaking to let go, but sometimes walking away is the only way to keep my peace intact.