Cutting ties some pretend to care about you. You confined in them and they blab your secrets to justify their wrong doing making you look bad because have done worse using you as a decoy.
You respect them but they have no respect for you thinking you are a joke not taking you serious once you cut them off it's the best way. Free from all the toxic attitudes being alienated for being different having an opinion. When you don't follow they'll be threatened make you out to be a target. They'll try to make others see you differently because all their antics have no power or say trying to empower themselves by knocking you.
Don't talk about them or say anything because they'll try to make nothing into something. No one wants to argue be talked over ignored by people that are one sided and narrow minded. They have their way it's not enough dk why they are mad or complaining for. They think they are better than you but don't act like it. It will come back to them no one is talking about them or cares what they are doing. They aren't helping others why should they say or think they could dictate others lives.