Study finds everyone has at least one friend they don't like, who's yours?

Jesus has Judas, Megatron has Starscream and Phoebe has Ross. Everyone has at least one mate who, deep down, they probably don’t really like. 

Maybe they get too lairy on nights out. Maybe they are always late to social events. Maybe they never get a round in.

Point is, everyone has least one person in their #squad that they’d gladly (secretly) see the back of.

And now, we have some lovely empirical proof.

In a new study commissioned by television channel Lifetime, researchers found that 40% of people admit to having at least one friend they regularly see that they can’t stand. 

Asking 2,000 adults across the UK, the study found that on average people we have around 16 friends or acquaintances, with three they dislike or struggle to get on with.

Speaking of the report, Lifetime channel director Koulla Anastasi said: "It is quite surprising to see so many people struggle to get along with others in their own friendship group. You end up socialising with people you wouldn’t usually choose as a friend, perhaps through work, friends-of-friends or through your partner.”

The most common reason for friends grinding our gears seems to be as simple as not having anything in common.

Other reasons for friendship friction? Differing opinions (particularly with politics), behaviour when drunk, and general flakiness.

So what do you do with a friend you dislike? Well for half the people in the study, they generally try to phase out their bugbear from the friend group, while a quarter straight up told their ‘mate’ they weren’t keen on them.

The research also revealed the top 20 modern rules of friendship. If you excuse us, we’ll be studying this for a while.

Top 20 reasons for not getting on with someone:
1. We just have nothing in common
2. They are too bossy or controlling
3. We have a lot of differing opinions
4. How they behave when they are drinking
5. They are too high maintenance
6. We lead different lifestyles
7. The language they use
8. They’ve let me down
9. Their sense of humour
10. How they treat their partner
11. Because they’ve changed
12. Their political affiliations
13. How they treat their children
14. I don’t like the people they hang out with
15. They deliberately blank me
16. They are always borrowing money
17. Personal hygiene
18. Their dress sense
19. They flirt with my partner
20. They don’t get on with my partner

Top 20 modern rules of friendship
1. Never give away their secrets
2. Being a shoulder to cry on
3. Always there for advice
4. Always giving them your honest opinion
5. Always telling them the truth
6. Never let jealousy get in the way of your relationship
7. Reply to messages as soon as possible
8. Hug rather than handshake when you see each other
9. Always invite them on group social events
10. Go for a drink even if you don’t want to
11. Helping to get them out of a bad date
12. Don’t communicate with your friend’s partner without them
13. Don’t be the one in the group chat who ruins all the plans
14. Always offer to lend them money if they need it
15. Always offer to get the first round in
16. Always take your side in an argument
17. Not tagging them in pictures on social media before they’ve approved them
18. Don’t swipe right on friends’ ex-partners if they pop up on Tinder
19. Don’t post unflattering or embarrassing pictures on social media
20. Don’t give TV or film spoilers until you know your friends have seen them