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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

I'm on the verge of a breakdown over friend

352 replies

Changeymcchangeychange · 18/05/2022 23:15

NC

Close friends for a very long time. Over the years she has asked many favours of me but its now getting too much. She knows I can't/won't say no to her. I'm a people pleaser, but don't want to be. I just don't have the balls to say no.
I can't list the favours as it's too outting. Shes pushing me to a breakdown. The latest favour requests from her are taking me over the edge and forced me to cancel my day off work. I had nothing planned but that's not the point.
I don't know how I manage this situation.

OP posts:
larkstar · 19/05/2022 12:06

I bet you a pound to a penny that once you have said no once - it will not feel like such a big deal and you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner. It should be easier after that first time.

KarenLovesRosario · 19/05/2022 12:12

Well I've seen your update and as many of us suspected she's definitely a narcissist. No she won't do you any favours because there's nothing in it for her.
Be thankful she didn't feed your cat as even on the very rare occasions they do their target a favour there will be some mass chaos/drama surrounding it and that's their way of training you never to ask.
Please watch videos/research about Empaths and narcissists.
I have no friends at the moment because of cutting people out of my life that were making me Ill.
You're not alone you have your fiance and your 🐈.
Look around for free/cheap workshops courses etc.
Most of all please watch tons of vids, it's a very common thing narcs &empaths it will open your eyes.
Take care lovely.

Vikinga · 19/05/2022 12:16

The f#$king bitch didn't feed your cat when you asked her?

DO NOT stay in for her parcel. You told her you were out and it isn't your duty to rearrange your plans.

And i would block the vile cow and never speak to her again.

Have fun with your fiance, get to know other people and make new friends.

Fe2O3Girl · 19/05/2022 12:16

This is a really interesting article:
Are you an asker or a guesser?

When an “asker” is told that a “guesser” can’t help them because <reason>, they don’t hear “No”, they hear “I want to say yes” so they provide suggestions to enable the “guesser” to overcome the reason they have given.

Also, some people are CFs.

balancingfigure · 19/05/2022 12:23

So I think we’ve established she isn’t a friend. Now MN often recommends blocking contacts at the drop of a hat but I think this is a good idea here.

Talk to your fiancé (and kids if relevant) and explain its stopping - they will support you. Delete her diary and block her. The end. Tell your family you are not answering the door to her. This situation is so extreme that she isn’t going to listen if you try to explain.

WallaceinAnderland · 19/05/2022 12:25

I know you have your reasons OP but you are being ridiculous. You are doing all of this to yourself. Don't be at home for the delivery. What's the worst that can happen?

NippyWoowoo · 19/05/2022 12:28

Changeymcchangeychange · 19/05/2022 07:58

Thanks for all the replies.
She's a friend not a work colleague (I met her through work but in a different job to the one I have now). One of the favours she has asked me to be in for a delivery she's scheduled to mine. I told her it was my day off and I didn't know what I was doing. She has ignored that. I now have to wait in and as I WFH I might as well work until the delivery arrives.
The favours cause a hell a of a lot of issues between me and my fiance. He gets so mad at me doing it all and at her asking. As a result he doesn't like her.
Every time I give an excuse for saying no, she then comes up with a million ways to make it work so I can do the favour.
I have never asked her for a favour as her motto is that if she does you a favour then you owe her. I only once asked her to feed my cat. She ignored that part of the message I had sent her but replied to other stuff in the same message.
I am beyond breaking point.
I'm convenient for her as my work allows me to be around in the day. I also have other 'perks' that she takes advantage of too.
She is my only friend.

'I have the day off and am out for the whole day' would have been the reply here.

Then she'd ignore and not reply.

Then you'd ignore and be out.

When she'd message you later saying 'I've just seen the parcel was undelivered??'

You'd reply to the message you sent her saying that you'd be out all day. Preferably with a passive-aggressive ⬆️

Bollindger · 19/05/2022 12:40

Try this answer, "I just can't"
or Sorry I am busy.
That just doesn't work for me.

Keep a list of ways to say no,

fossilsmorefossils · 19/05/2022 12:47

You neec to delete her diary, block her on email, block her on social media, maybe send a message "I don't want to be friends anymore, please never contact me agaib" and then block her on mobile and whatsapp. Don't open the door if she comes to your house (or let fiance shoo her away).

Wouldn't it feel like breathing again if you never hear from her again? Take a deep breath and just do it.

sausagesandchamp · 19/05/2022 12:52

Block her. At the very least have her on silent/mute and only your fiancé replies to her messages. What you don't know is being requested you aren't needing to be assertive in saying no. So until you feel bolder/stronger, don't expose yourself to what is causing you and your relationship harm.

WilsonMilson · 19/05/2022 12:54

I’m a bit older than you sound op, and I’ve definitely become more confident and no shit taking with age, but I wonder what’s gone on in your life this far to make you this subservient and unable to stand up for yourself?
Your ‘friend’ is an absolutely cheeky fucker who is frankly abusing you because she knows you’ll just roll over and take it.

There is no easy way to do this apart from just to say no and stop, and probably cut contact altogether as she is unlikely to change her ways. You say she is your only friend - she is not, she is no friend of yours.

If it were me, I’d tell her on no uncertain terms that you are fed up with the way she treats you and the expectation that she has carte blanche to use you as a personal assistant. Tell her you will no longer be doing any favours for her in the future unless it suits you to do so.

Just do it, you will feel better for it. And try to work out why you can’t stand up for yourself.

CousinKrispy · 19/05/2022 13:01

OP, does your workplace have an employee assistance scheme that provides free counselling? If you're having trouble accessing counselling elsewhere, this might be a useful option.

Ring up, explain that you are being exploited by a so-called friend, and that you need help developing the confidence to break free from the relationship.

The change needs to happen within you (your "friend" is never going to change), but you could get some coaching to help you through it.

You can do it ... many of us have broken free from toxic relationships of all types and you can get there too. Big hugs!

Theblacksheepandme · 19/05/2022 13:06

It would be interesting if you could dig deep and see where this is coming from? Why do you find it difficult to say no. Have you been like this from childhood?

PinkyFlamingo · 19/05/2022 13:19

I get you find it hard to say no but if its got to the point you are describing how you feel then you won't need to - as you will mentally collapse and end up off work.

PineappleMojito · 19/05/2022 13:26

One thing that made me determined to change my own people pleasing habits and change how I saw them was being on the other end of it.

My aunt is a chronic people pleaser. People think she’s so nice, kind and lovely - and in many ways she is - but she will often say yes to things and then resent it or bitch to other people about how much she’s done for so and so or how much she’s “put up with”. I found out the hard way that she resented me bringing my dog with me when I visited because he shed so much - I’d asked, she’d always said yes and refused my offers to help clean up/vacuum afterwards. But she told my cousin how much mess my dog made and how much she hated it when the dog came and she didn’t understand why I couldn’t leave him at home. Causing my cousin to think I was being terribly inconsiderate to my aunt and being selfish. My cousin had a go at me and I didn’t understand why, because my aunt had always seemed so accommodating.

The cause of this situation was that my aunt said yes to something when she meant no. And the outcome in the end was upsetting for everyone - my cousin and I fell out, my aunt felt guilty, and as a result was even more afraid to say no to people! I don’t visit her now, because I have no idea what the rules are, fundamentally I don’t feel safe around her because her chronic niceness actually makes her dishonest. Once I’d realised in my own head that people pleasing does not = being a nice person, it actually = dishonesty, I fundamentally couldn’t continue to do it.

Of course there were reasons why I had these habits in the first place - there was childhood trauma and undiagnosed neurodiversity, I was a parentified child. Often these sorts of patterns develop because of trauma and it’s important to be compassionate towards that, but we also hold ourselves accountable as adults for changing said patterns and becoming who we want to be.

Good luck. You can do this, it is possible.

Tigofigo · 19/05/2022 13:31

I have never suggested anyone block someone but honestly, just block her. On all channels. You can't say no, she won't stop asking. She's not your friend. I'm sorry.

Quartz2208 · 19/05/2022 13:38

I agree with other PP you are trapped in an abusive relationship with her - I imagine that there have in the past been consequences when you say no and rewards when you say yes.

It is difficult I think because the only way out is going to be in effect to leave the relationship, end it block it and try to move on.

Kennykenkencat · 19/05/2022 13:47

The only one you can do anything about in this situation is you.
You can’t change your friend this is who she is. However you can change your responses to her.

If she ignores you then she ignores you. You have told her you are going out so go out as planned. If the package doesn’t get delivered then it doesn’t get delivered. It is your friend’s problem not yours.

If she get annoyed remind her that favours are a 2 way thing and you don’t see her doing anything to even the score.

This person is not your friend. You are the unpaid help. Someone who will do as they are told to make her life easier.

There will be others who she will get to replace you till they say No.

gottastopeatingchocolate · 19/05/2022 13:48

Seek out a therapist who is experienced in helping survivors of coercive control &/or victoms of e.g. narcissistic abuse. I'm not 'diagnosing' your CF as a narcissist btw, & frankly I don't give a shit what her problem is - but you need a framework from where you can begin to understand that your CF does not function like reasonable people do - she is wired differently - so responding to her or trying to deal with her from the perspective of a reasonable person will never work.
www.healthyplace.com/personality-disorders/malignant-self-love/surviving-the-narcissist

This is from a poster a few pages up. I came on to post similar. Not to offer a diagnosis, but some exploration around narcissistic abuse might resonate with you. Dr Ramani on YouTube might be a good starting place.

I imagine you were not being literal about the thimbleful of milk and giving away the carton, but the image suggests to me some issues with healthy boundaries and putting yourself last. If you give away the carton, what happens when you want some milk for your tea?

hopeishere · 19/05/2022 13:50

What would happen if you went out and didn't receive the delivery. You've said it didn't suit do of she complains say I told you I couldn't do it.

I agree for you to be this stressed and codependent someone else is very unhealthy.

yesthatisdrizzle · 19/05/2022 13:55

You see her as a close friend.

She see you as her personal assistant, who must be available at all times to do her bidding.

No wonder you are at the end of your tether. I would suggest that you find an empty cardboard box, write her name on it, put it in the middle of your living room floor, and then jump on it. Feel free to yell "No No No!!!!!" as you do so.

Done that? Good. Now grow a pair and tell her no. She really won't like it, and no doubt she will throw a major tantrum but so what? What kind of a friend is she to you? She isn't one, so it doesn't matter.

godmum56 · 19/05/2022 13:56

Changeymcchangeychange · 19/05/2022 07:58

Thanks for all the replies.
She's a friend not a work colleague (I met her through work but in a different job to the one I have now). One of the favours she has asked me to be in for a delivery she's scheduled to mine. I told her it was my day off and I didn't know what I was doing. She has ignored that. I now have to wait in and as I WFH I might as well work until the delivery arrives.
The favours cause a hell a of a lot of issues between me and my fiance. He gets so mad at me doing it all and at her asking. As a result he doesn't like her.
Every time I give an excuse for saying no, she then comes up with a million ways to make it work so I can do the favour.
I have never asked her for a favour as her motto is that if she does you a favour then you owe her. I only once asked her to feed my cat. She ignored that part of the message I had sent her but replied to other stuff in the same message.
I am beyond breaking point.
I'm convenient for her as my work allows me to be around in the day. I also have other 'perks' that she takes advantage of too.
She is my only friend.

she is not your only friend. She is not your friend.

oakleaffy · 19/05/2022 13:57

Changeymcchangeychange · 19/05/2022 07:58

Thanks for all the replies.
She's a friend not a work colleague (I met her through work but in a different job to the one I have now). One of the favours she has asked me to be in for a delivery she's scheduled to mine. I told her it was my day off and I didn't know what I was doing. She has ignored that. I now have to wait in and as I WFH I might as well work until the delivery arrives.
The favours cause a hell a of a lot of issues between me and my fiance. He gets so mad at me doing it all and at her asking. As a result he doesn't like her.
Every time I give an excuse for saying no, she then comes up with a million ways to make it work so I can do the favour.
I have never asked her for a favour as her motto is that if she does you a favour then you owe her. I only once asked her to feed my cat. She ignored that part of the message I had sent her but replied to other stuff in the same message.
I am beyond breaking point.
I'm convenient for her as my work allows me to be around in the day. I also have other 'perks' that she takes advantage of too.
She is my only friend.

Dump this awful user!
Friends absolutely do NOT take the piss like this.

It's appalling that she treats you this way.

You HAVE to start saying ''NO".

No, I can't do that.
No, I won't be able.
NO is a complete sentence.

Stand up to this horrid user.

oakleaffy · 19/05/2022 14:01

IncompleteSenten · 19/05/2022 11:23

How come you're ok with upsetting your fiancé and potentially wrecking your relationship with him but you can't stand up to her?

This is what I thought, too.
@Changeymcchangeychange , You are sacrificing your relationship for a ghastly user who won't even feed your cat!

It must hurt your partner to see you be so taken advantage of by this woman.

She's no friend, as a friends respects the other person, it's reciprocal.
Not a one way street.

ConfusedByDesign · 19/05/2022 14:02

I also wonder if your relationship with her has had an impact on your dcs?