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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Best friend made me cry before ... AIBU (TW: Sexual assault, suicide)

19 replies

Jungiannn · 17/05/2020 16:10

4 years ago I was in an abusive relationship with someone who completely destroyed me as a person. His comments still affect the way I am today, even though I am married to someone else now.

He raped me, made me doubt that I had previously been raped in my teens because I used to cry when he was doing it ("you think this is rape? Did you lie about the other times as well? You're such a drama queen!"). He mocked me for my mental health problems, told me I was a disgrace for not being able to get out of bed, made me feel like I was a failure and I'd never amount to anything. He said if I didn't leave him he'd end up killing me, and he never felt this amount of anger to anyone apart from me.

He was just horrendous. There's more, but I feel like I blocked it all out.

When we were breaking up, I became really mentally unwell. I started self-harming and hearing his voice shouting at me when I was falling asleep. I had brief episodes were I completely lost touch with reality (I used to think I was being watched/I was another person entirely/I had committed a crime as a child and been given a new identity).

During this time, my best friend was there to support me. She was also going through some bad times with her ex-partner. We used to meet quite regularly, and, from my point of view, we helped each other during this time.

Today, out of the blue, we started talking about being sensitive. I admittedly am very sensitive, and because I am aware of this, I always try and think about things before I react.

She became very serious and said "four years ago, you were unbearable, you talked incessantly about yourself... you were oversensitive and couldn't take a joke, I even had to tell you to stop joking with me because I couldn't do it back to you"

I don't know why, but it made me really upset. I tried to brush past it and laugh it off but I've been thinking about it all day. I guess I probably did drone on a bit, but I was in awful circumstances, and tried to take my own life. It makes me feel uncomfortable because I still have mental health problems today - does she still think the same of me?

In the past she has made comments about my marriage, saying that she doesn't think we should get married (before we did), saying it's weird that we waited so long to have sex (DP is a different religion to me, and has only had one other sexual partner before me), saying that it seemed we just got married because we "settled".

I just feel like a shit person again. She lives alone and i've stayed in touch everyday, but now I really don't want to and I can't place my finger on why.

AIBU to have got so upset about what she said?

OP posts:
DrManhattan · 17/05/2020 16:17

Hey I would just give myself a bit of breathing space away from your friend. See how you feel later on. This lockdown isn't helping anyone and can make things feel alot worse than they are. Take care

AnathemaPulsifer · 17/05/2020 16:18

She doesn’t sound like a very good friend. If you don’t want to stay in touch with her trust your instincts.

zscaler · 17/05/2020 16:21

She doesn’t sound like a good or supportive friend. Even if she feels those things, there could be no purpose in bringing them up now except to hurt you. And her comments about your partner are equally unnecessary and unkind.

I would take some time away from your friend while you think about whether she’s someone you want to continue to have in your life. Just because you were supportive to each other before doesn’t mean you have to maintain that closeness now if it is hurtful to you. It’s ok to move on from the friendship if it’s time to do so.

MulticolourMophead · 17/05/2020 16:22

She's not a good friend, is she?

She knows that 4 years ago you were going through something horrendous. Yet she is complaining about how you were then? For the record, you weren't over sensitive, you were in a shit situation.

If you don't want to text, or otherwise contact her, then don't.

Summerof699 · 17/05/2020 16:25

Could she be envious that you've moved on OP, maybe she is still stuck in a rut? Some people prefer you to be in a worse situation than them so they feel better about themselves.

Sally872 · 17/05/2020 16:25

If it was out of character I would give her some space then a second chance. Maybe she is struggling. But it seems like she often makes rude and unhelpful comments, so I would stop considering her a friend and distance yourself from her.

FOJN · 17/05/2020 16:32

Your friend has been insensitive and unkind, you can decide whether you are willing to tolerate that kind of behaviour from a friend.

You don't mention if you have had any counselling but I think it might be a good idea for you. One of the things that struck me about your post was the power that other people's opinion of you has over your emotional well being. It's difficult to recover after an abusive relationship has eroded your self esteem but building your own resilient sense of self is so important if you are to protect yourself from other abusive people.

CandleNoBra · 17/05/2020 16:33

I mean this with all the kindness in the world, but it may be that your past has made you unaware when people are not good friends. The way she treats you sounds bad and I hope for your sake that you can distance yourself and get away from her Flowers

Jungiannn · 17/05/2020 16:43

Thanks for the replies.

@FOJN I was under the care of community mental health for a few years, and have had schema therapy and cognitive analytical therapy.

I feel like I have been really good at looking for patterns of relationships which are damaging to me (for example, my exes after the abusive ex were all abusive too) and I made positive changes (me and DP met on the bases of a shared interest, I didn't rush sex, there was lots of respect there etc).

It might be shock that is upsetting me - that another "toxic" relationship is right under my nose and I didn't have the insight to know Sad

DP doesn't like this friend much and has commented in the past that I always seem deflated when I've been with her. But the scared person inside me used to think he was doing this to control me - as I thought she was really supportive!

It seems silly but my head's in a right mess now

OP posts:
user1471565182 · 17/05/2020 16:48

the fact is people suffering mental health issues can be quite conventionally 'unlikable', which is why they often attract hostility. You see a lot of people suffering mental problems going off a bit on facebook, and they always seem to attract hostility as default. Im sure you know this but of course its hard to hear it about yourself. That wasnt you, you were unwell- now you are better.

Summerof699 · 17/05/2020 16:48

I wouldnt rush to decide OP, take a step back, take some time out and think about who really has your best interests at heart.

user1471565182 · 17/05/2020 16:49

But others are right, your friend is no good.

QuestionMarkNow · 17/05/2020 16:51

I would start taking sme distance from her.
I don't think she is abusive or toxic. I think she has no clue and despite being able to show support when things went wrong for you, she is totally clueless as to what has happened to you.

The issue of course is that she is ending up also being judgemental. Which is the reason why I think you need to step back.

QuestionMarkNow · 17/05/2020 16:53

I don't think it's about people with MH attracting hostility though. If that was the case, it would have happened at the time and I wouild have expected her to step back because the OP had been 'unbearable (In her eyes @Jungiannn. I am not saying you were!!).

I think she is just a judgemental prick who doesnt understand MH.

Jungiannn · 17/05/2020 16:56

@user1471565182

I just think that's an opinion held by people who have no understanding of mental health problems, to be honest.

I know not intentional, but the wording of your post could offend quite a lot of people (the choices of certain language), and I think it shows your lack of understanding. It's cyclical - the comments people get confirm the dysfunctional beliefs people hold about themselves.

It's sad that people cannot try to understand. We all have mental health - some is worse than others. At the end of the day, everyone is just trying to make meaningful connections in life and be understood.

OP posts:
user1471565182 · 17/05/2020 17:03

Well it comes from my own experiences, the guilt of remembering how I acted in my own periods of bad mental health and how I deal with the oppressive memory of that.

MattBerrysHair · 17/05/2020 17:09

From the way you've described the conversation it seems like your friend was purposefully trying to hurt your feelings. Whether it's out of character or not is for you to decide, but she was being a twat. Does she usually try to bring you down a peg or two if you're doing well? I've met a few people who need to feel superior so gravitate towards people with problems. When things are going well it puts their nose out of joint and they say things to bring you down.

pallasathena · 17/05/2020 17:10

Take a time out OP and tell your friend that you need to go off radar for a few weeks just to decompress.
Whilst you're decompressing, find a hobby or interest or just a daily routine that is practical, do-able at the same time every day, something skills based like arts, crafts, journalling, decluttering, cleaning even.
You'll find yourself 'zoning out', of the overthinking and with practice, that will become a new skill you can utilise when you feel as overwhelmed with everything as you currently do. Flowers

Groovinpeanut · 17/05/2020 17:13

I think as others have said take a bit of breathing space.
This friend isn't being very supportive or sensitive bringing up from years ago. You were in a horrible relationship and being abused. It's no wonder you talked about yourself, what else would anyone expect?
You have moved forward in life and now have very different life with your husband.
Your friend doesn't seem to have moved on in the same way. She may be jealous of the fact you now have the support of your husband and are more settled.
Give it a bit of space, if it continues to be upsetting then I'd cut ties.

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