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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Desperate to end friendship!!

174 replies

cloudsandream · 22/11/2022 13:06

Apologies in advance about the length!

I met this friend around two years ago whilst we was studying on the same course. Whilst it was smooth sailing, it’s been bloody hard work since then.

She struggles with mental health so there’s been countless times me and our other friend have sat with her for hours whilst she has breakdowns, threatens to harm herself etc. These can last between hours and days and she will blow up my phone.

She also does things like meet up with men despite us saying they display red flags, and then cries how awful they was afterwards. I feel she takes no bloody advice from what I tell her. It’s then hours after trying to comfort her before the harm talk stirs up again.

Likewise, any plans made has to be okay with her otherwise we all aren’t going. It was my turn to choose for our date and on the last two occasions she complained and said we should go somewhere else instead. It’s her way or we don’t go at all.

Now my actual dilemma. She has a new flat and this past monday, i sat in her flat (cold, unfurnished, no heating or carpet) for over three hours to wait for the gas man to turn up just because she wanted to go shopping. I was frozen to the bone and when she came back, no thank you but simply complained the man never came.

She’s since asked for money and furnishing despite me telling her i’m pretty broke myself. She’s now taken it upon herself to ask what days i am free and what times so i can watch her flat whilst maintenance does her bits so she can do other stuff instead and be at her part time job.

Now she’s asked me to go on Thursday whilst carpets be put down. I don’t want to go, the flat is freezing, and i have to travel and pay for my own taxis there and back. I’ve wasted hours of my time anyway and i’m tired of being her first point of call, despite us sharing other friends, because I don’t really tell her “no”.

I feel awful but i want to be shot of her. She’s emotionally and physically draining with how much she needs and wants off me, it feels constant. I’ve left the groupchat on many occasions because it’s so overwhelming but she just adds me back and asks me for things again.

I get nothing from the friendship, it’s just me giving all and her just taking it. I understand she has issues but i’m fed up of it now, I want my life back before more favours come flooding in.

Aibu to end this friendship? I just feel bad because she has alot of problems.

OP posts:
Byelaws · 22/11/2022 13:55

Antaboo · 22/11/2022 13:47

She's not the problem in this story; you are. Luckily for you, you are also the solution.

This^

Sort your self esteem OP. And stater by telling her where to go and cutting all contact.

Quincythequince · 22/11/2022 13:57

Jesus Christ.
Just grow up and tell her to fuck off.

Soothsayer1 · 22/11/2022 13:58

Start being as flaky as she is and ghost her 👻

DoctorMarten · 22/11/2022 13:59

Oh lord. Just say no.

BMW6 · 22/11/2022 14:00

Just tell her she's drained you dry of all your emotional and physical resources and you are stepping away to recover and recharge. Wish her well and good luck. Then block her on everything.

CowardlyNewName · 22/11/2022 14:00

I have one like this that I'm currently in the process of cutting free. It doesn't get any easier OP, it just gets worse.

When mine was moving flat she asked for help as she couldn't move the big stuff herself and needed our trailer as it wouldn't fit in her car. We arrived on the day, along with all the other mugs, to find that she'd done no packing at all. We were expecting a couple of hours of shifting the big stuff not a whole day of packing everything.

But if that weren't bad enough, once we were loaded up she pissed off to walk the dog. She doesn't even have a sodding dog. But she'd promised a neighbour she'd walk theirs. Not a quick 5 minutes to pee, a full bloody 2 hour yomp through the forest. Meanwhile like good little minions we all sat there twiddling our thumbs wondering when, if ever, she was coming back.

ReneBumsWombats · 22/11/2022 14:03

She has a new flat and this past monday, i sat in her flat (cold, unfurnished, no heating or carpet) for over three hours to wait for the gas man to turn up just because she wanted to go shopping.

Well why did you agree to that??

fruitbrewhaha · 22/11/2022 14:05

Just tell her no.

BigMandsTattooPortfolio · 22/11/2022 14:06

You know you are not responsible for her happiness? Please put some boundaries into operation. And run - this type will drain you dry and then shit on you. Been there, done that.

RambamThankyouMam · 22/11/2022 14:06

I can't be doing with people like that. Sack her off. She's a drain who gives nothing back. Utterly pointless friendship.

Soothsayer1 · 22/11/2022 14:06

I have one like this that I'm currently in the process of cutting free. It doesn't get any easier OP, it just gets worse
These types select their victims very carefully, once they've spent time training you up and they've got their claws in they are very reluctant to let go, it's probably all instinctive behaviour rather than consciously calculated.
I think it's better to get rid of them as soon as you can, the longer it goes on the more they feel as if they own you and they might feel they have a right to punish you.

Venetiaparties · 22/11/2022 14:06

You are being used!
Get shot of her
Don't look back and block and delete

She is a vampire

Quincythequince · 22/11/2022 14:08

CowardlyNewName · 22/11/2022 14:00

I have one like this that I'm currently in the process of cutting free. It doesn't get any easier OP, it just gets worse.

When mine was moving flat she asked for help as she couldn't move the big stuff herself and needed our trailer as it wouldn't fit in her car. We arrived on the day, along with all the other mugs, to find that she'd done no packing at all. We were expecting a couple of hours of shifting the big stuff not a whole day of packing everything.

But if that weren't bad enough, once we were loaded up she pissed off to walk the dog. She doesn't even have a sodding dog. But she'd promised a neighbour she'd walk theirs. Not a quick 5 minutes to pee, a full bloody 2 hour yomp through the forest. Meanwhile like good little minions we all sat there twiddling our thumbs wondering when, if ever, she was coming back.

Then you should have left and said call us back when you’re packed. And you should t have Waited for her to dog walk for two hours either.

Why are you letting people treat you so badly. Just tell her to fuck off.

Choconut · 22/11/2022 14:09

Does she have a diagnosis OP? BPD, ASD, Bipolar disorder? This sounds beyond CFery to me, I think she probably needs profressional help.

You have every right to end the friendship of course, but it sounds like she's not going to want to let go....so you need to be prepared to say no a lot. I think you also need to be prepared for the emotional manipulation she might use to try to get you back.

user1471538283 · 22/11/2022 14:10

Tell her no. On repeat.

She knows what she is doing.

ReneBumsWombats · 22/11/2022 14:11

Nobody likes a doormat. It's not a likeable or admirable character trait. Exploitative people will use doormats, nice people might try to help the doormat if they like them in other ways. But nobody likes you for being a doormat.

DrinkFeckArseBrick · 22/11/2022 14:18

I dont think this is a friendship, qs friendship is mutual. Instead its turned into a weird dynamic of her demanding and you complying. You sit in her flat for hours on end so she can go shopping? That's insane.

I dont think you need to end the friendship as I think you'll find when you reduce your availability and cut out the favours, she will quickly drop you

fdgdfgdfgdfg · 22/11/2022 14:18

Another person here asking why you're letting her treat you so badly?

Just say no to the next favour she asks. It sounds like she'll probably get the hump and end the friendship for you.

You don't have to be liked by everybody. It's not a bad thing to be disliked by people who aren't good for you. If she tries to stir up trouble with your other friends, just explain that you couldn't help her with something, and she got the hump about it. If she's half as bad as you say she is, they'll understand completely.

Thelnebriati · 22/11/2022 14:20

This isn't what friendship looks like, at best she is a nuisance acquaintance.

willingtolearn · 22/11/2022 14:21

Friendship has to be reciprocal otherwise you're actually just a servant to her.

Sitdownnigel · 22/11/2022 14:23

Just say no.

Beautiful3 · 22/11/2022 14:24

I think I'd say, I'm not feeling great right now, so cannot help out at the moment. She works part time, so she could rearrange work men on her hours/days off. I worked part time and i was perfectly capable. She doesn't actually need you. You know that she is capable of doing it herself. She just likes delegating life's chores to you, and you do it everytime! So stop helping so much!

Sparkletastic · 22/11/2022 14:25

I wouldn't normally advise this but you need to formally end the friendship. I'd say something like 'This friendship is no longer working for me so I won't be in touch again. I wish you all the best for the future.'

sjxoxo · 22/11/2022 14:26

Why can’t you just say ‘I can’t come and ‘watch’ your flat.. it’s not necessary and I’m really busy too! Let’s get together at the weekend”

Why do you say yes? There’s no pet by the sound of it so what are you ‘watching’ at her flat..!? They can lay carpets without her there.. sounds like the flames empty anyway. If she’s paranoid about the workmen, tell her to buy a camera.. you need to stand up for yourself more! Why are you saying yes to these bizarre demands. You are allowed to say no you know… do you say yes to other people aswell like this? I would have cut her off ages ago but I am a bit zero tolerance of time wasting which is what she sounds like to me.. x

FlissyPaps · 22/11/2022 14:28

Sorry OP but you’ve got to be blunt and honest with her.

Say no. It’s awkward I know. You’ll feel guilty. You’ll feel like you’ll have no way out. Trust me, I’ve been there with a friend. You need to be blunt and cut them off. She is not a friend to you. She’s taking you for a ride. And she doesn’t care about your feelings.

Look up “Histrionic Personality Disorder”. I had a friend very similar to the one you’re describing. I’m pretty sure my ex-friend has this disorder.