(From Janet Shamlian, NBC News Correspondent)
I was trying to keep up with my five little trick or treaters as they worked the neighborhood a few nights ago. Keeping pace alongside me was a mom from a few streets over. I hadn't seen her in months. "I saw you on TV in a really bad outfit recently," she said with a smile, "but I have to say you made the most of it." And then it hit me, she was a frenemy.
It's a word I hadn't heard until recently but a relationship many of us have experienced. There are a number of definitions... but most agree, at its core, a frenemy is someone who upsets you as much as they make you feel good.
I traveled to Jerrico, New York, for a roundtable with a group of women to discuss frenemies for TODAY. WATCH VIDEO
They're neighbors who juggle children, husbands and jobs and yet maintain active and supportive friendships with each other. They'd all had frenemies in the past, but now in their forties told me they'd become more choosy and divorced themselves from toxic friends. What a group. Think Wisteria Lane -- smart, fun and beautiful women -- but without any of the underlying deceit, jealously and competitiveness.
Turns out hanging out with people who make you feel bad can also be hard on the heart. Researchers at Brigham Young University found the relationships can be harmful to your health. Experts say it's best to cut those ties, but I can't do that with my neighbor until I know which outfit she was talking about!