All friends can disappoint on occasion, but people who consistently hurt you are not your friends, no matter what they say. Seek out friends who are kind to you. It’s okay to find new friends.

Cultivate true friends by pursuing an activity or hobby that could expose you to a new, more supportive social group.

Friends who pressure you to bully others aren’t true friends. Find friends who accept you for who you are and don’t make you feel pressured to play a role that isn’t true to who you are.

People who spread rumors and gossip about you aren’t true friends. If your friends can’t respect you enough not to gossip about you, consider finding or creating a new group of friends who make you feel good about yourself.

You aren’t stuck with the friends you have. Sometimes we need to let go of our existing friends if they are mean to us, or if we feel bad when we’re with them because they’re mean to others. Making new friends and outgrowing old ones is often part of growing up.

Quality over quantity. It’s better to have just a few friends who really make you feel good about yourself than a bunch of friends who don’t. Don’t be afraid to phase mean friends out of your life.

Consider phrases like, “I know you might think it’s just a joke, but that actually makes me feel bad. I’d like you to stop,” or “Are you actually my friend? You haven’t acted like it in a long time,” or “Hey, can we act like we’re on the same team for a change?”