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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To end 20 year friendship over this?

291 replies

BirdieStar · 16/07/2023 16:20

Been I’d say best friends with G for 20 years. We are v close and do a lot together. We’ve recently just last year travelled across America together and I’d considered her family.

So a few months ago G started seeing someone for the first time and I was delighted for her. She had always shied away from relationships. However he’s turned out to be not so good, no job, does drugs, doesn’t see his child, ex-offender and refuses to meet her family or friends so we’ve never met.

This person has become her whole world and she adores him but it’s sort of taken over her life and made her a shitty friend. She keeps missing prearranged and expensive plans we’d made at last minute with some very serious excuses only for me to find out she was actually dossing at her boyfriends house. (She’s said previously he sits on games most the day and she just watches- we are 40!)

So, for example, we’d had a afternoon tea booked for a few weeks after her birthday- I paid the deposit and train tickets as part of her gift, she said she’d like to do this and said she wanted to go- talks excited really happy until the day before when she went quite cold and started saying she had to take her mum to hospital urgently. I completely understood, I rearranged the plans, lost the train money but that’s life. Only to find out by accident through her weeks later that she was actually at her boyfriends that weekend at a concert and mum was never sick. I confronted her for lying, she got upset and we moved on from it- although I was annoyed.

The same thing happened with the rescheduled date- big drama involving her now having to work and her manager saying so (the day before we were suppose to go again) to again find out that she was at her boyfriends house waiting in for a package for him.

Then comes this weekend, it’s my 40th birthday bbq. Friend is coming and really excited- messaging the day before saying that she’s going to be bringing certain things and what time train she’s getting in, she’d asked me if she could pay for the cake as part of my present and I said I’d pick her up at the station. The day comes and nobody has heard from her- we are all worried when the time the train is suppose to be getting in comes and she isn’t there, calling round, trying to get her to answer- only for her to respond 5 hours later saying she and her BF went out, got too drunk and she’d only just woken up and charged her phone. I’d messaged her BF on Facebook to check if she was ok and with him, and when he saw it later on he just replied “lol”. She’s known it was my birthday bbq for weeks.

I spent my whole birthday morning trying to get hold of her, feeling worried something had happened to find out that she had just overslept- and we had to quickly run out and get another cake too!

When I finally spoke to her, she said a half sorry but her apology was mainly about how awful she felt herself hungover.

Im feeling just so sad today, it’s like my friend has had a personality transplant since meeting this person. I’m happy for her, but I’ve never behaved this way myself when I got into a relationship.

Im really feeling like I should say enough is enough and end the friendship, but I’m heartbroken a little and trying to rationalise that before she met this person she wouldn’t have been like this in the last 19 years! She’s never been this person- it’s horrid.

but should I end the friendship and distance myself?

OP posts:
ReachForTheMars · 16/07/2023 17:22

I'd press pause rather than end it.

Say that you have been disappointed about the last minute let downs, it's not like her to lie about things like her mum but the message you are getting is that boyfriend is her priority at the moment and youd love her to get in touch when she feels able to keep her commitments.

And I would then step way back and only agree to free/cheap meet ups once a month until she dumps him. Let her save face.

Lifeomars · 16/07/2023 17:23

It's so sad for you to be going through this. I ended a friendship of over 20 years when my friend disclosed some shocking things to me that made me see them in a wholly different way that did not fit with my way of life. I still dream about them and miss them but the drama and the deceit were too much to deal with. I guess you could distance yourself but perhaps be around in a very boundaries way if things go wrong and she needs you in the future. It is hard when you have a long history with someone

Lovehearts82 · 16/07/2023 17:23

I agree with others here, step back but don't close the friendship off completely. Sounds like she is going to need a friend one day when she wakes up and realises he's a waste of space. But definitely stop arranging things together.

coxesorangepippin · 16/07/2023 17:24

I'd have zero time for this shit

She's acting like a 12 year old

Lacucuracha · 16/07/2023 17:25

I would re-categorise her as a fair-weather friend. Keep her at arms length, make no serious plans with her, spend no money on pre-planned meet ups.

YANBU to end the friendship though, she sounds daft.

Jongleterre · 16/07/2023 17:27

Some people get to a stage in life where they have the need to be with someone. Sadly, having a sense of desperation seems to attract low life's who inexplicably captivate the heart and mind of someone like your friend.

It's downhill from now on and if I were you I would tell her straight that since she's been with that loser, her behaviour and personality have changed and it dow the better and you will not tolerate it.

Distance yourself and let her wake up and smell the coffee for herself.

Dotcheck · 16/07/2023 17:28

She’s always shied away from relationships- for 20 years?

She clearly has some issues which may now be steering her wrong.
Step back, lower your expectations, but keep the door open. She’ll probably need a friend when it all goes wrong.

newhaircut · 16/07/2023 17:28

Even if he was controlling, the fact she was more sorry about having a hangover than about missing your birthday says a lot about HER as a person, regardless of him.

She sounds very selfish and I'd be ghosting her

Gatehouse77 · 16/07/2023 17:29

To have a friend, you have to be a friend.

She’s shown by her recent behaviour that she’s not a friend. You can choose whether to distance yourself from her - not instigating the conversation - or cut her off.

Runningonjammiedodgers · 16/07/2023 17:31

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 16/07/2023 16:34

I don't think you should confront her, she is probably in the love bombing stage of a controlling relationship- she has to realize in her own time. One of my friends send me a very confrontational txt when from the outside she probably could have written this post (I wasn't being as bad as op friend) and I didn't take it well at the time I thought she was jealous.

Send her a message saying you've missed her but she's seemed super busy. You hope to spend time with her again soon as you love her a lot and the door is always open xxx

After that stop making effort - when this guy leaves her or when she is plucking up courage to leave and reaches out, be there for her x

Yep I agree. Doesn't sound like this is a healthy relationship and she may need you more than ever once she realises. I would refrain from making plans anymore, but text her on a semi regular basis to check in and let her know you are there.

He is potentially a master manipulator and it sounds like she has incredibly low self esteem. A horrible horrible combination.

Sorry you are having such a rough time of it, you sound like a lovely friend. Xx

newnamethanks · 16/07/2023 17:31

YANBU but she thinks she's found love for the first time. I feel sorry for her that she's found one of the specimens who leach on lonely women and suck the life out of them until they're a shadow of whom they were before. Distance yourself. Don't expect her to put you first and don't take it personally. It would be good if you can be around when she realises who he is. However, she may feel that something is better than nothing. I hate to see this happen to women, it happens a lot. Why is our acceptance of male behaviour set at such a low bar?

pinkkpanther · 16/07/2023 17:31

Definitely end the 'friendship'

FabFitFifties · 16/07/2023 17:32

Her choice of partner would make me back off to be honest. Choosing a drug taker, who has done time, would end the friendship for me. He's trouble, and it sounds like he is isolating her. It will likely turn abusive if it isn't already. I'd share my worries before backing off - I doubt she'll listen though. The possibility she is also taking drugs is there too. Move on with your other friends.

ConnieLinggusThe69th · 16/07/2023 17:34

She doesn't seem to have had much practice at juggling relationships and friendships... and has fallen victim to a twat currently

In case she's fallen into something she'll later find hard to leave and be a victim trapped - I wouldn't end the friendship myself

I'd personally give it time to see if she can recognise it's bad for her and want out before I ended it

But I would hugely step back and readjust any expectations I have for her not to be fulfilled atm

Think you'd be justified to end the friendship also - I just wouldn't as I'd be worried about her being too isolated to leave later

LakeTiticaca · 16/07/2023 17:35

Don't make any plans with her anymore but just stay in the background. She will need a friend when this all implodes x

oakleaffy · 16/07/2023 17:36

@BirdieStar What a SCROTE he sounds.

Sadly I lost a friend this way over a Scrote like that- He beat her and she disappeared from my life
No online presence at all.
Last saw her 10 yrs ago.
I try and Google her name to no avail.
Women with low self worth are drawn to scrotes like this.

I’m sorry for you- and her.

Batalax · 16/07/2023 17:40

I think it’s worth having a frank, lay all cards on the table, discussion to give her a chance to step up. Ultimatum time, and one final chance only. Then it’s up to her…

WildUnchartedWaters · 16/07/2023 17:40

FrugalKisses · 16/07/2023 16:53

I’d be worried about her tbh. What’s going on there?

YANBU to be pissed off, disappointed, sad, hurt and confused by the horrible change in behaviour.

However I’d keep the door open if she does leave him. It seems odd that she’s suddenly behaving in a way that is alienating everyone around her and causing her to become ever more isolated in this sad existence. It doesn’t sound like he has much of a life of his own.

Some people can be very manipulative and if this is really out of character having known her for 20 years, I’d be concerned for her whilst also doing whatever you need to do for yourself.

👏👏👏

Thedamndoorbell · 16/07/2023 17:44

TheFireflies · 16/07/2023 16:41

The concern that I would have is that she’s in an abusive and controlling relationship and he’s isolating her from friends. While I understand you stepping back, I wouldn’t completely shut the door on her in the future if she needs you.

This is pretty much how it happened with me. Big group of friends for many years. Met my bf. Didn't realise he had a drug & alcohol addiction and was very abusive. Slowly isolated me and manipulated me. Destroyed who i was and tore my self esteem & confidence to shreds. Constantly told me my friends didn't like me, didn't want to be around me and my mental health/self esteem/confidence was so bad i withdrew from people. I was totally blind to his abuse & his addictions. Fast forward 10 years, I'm out the relationship now & a single parent but pretty much lost all my long term friends whom stepped back from me and didn't appear to recognise that something was wrong. OP i would step back but keep the relationship open and communication open. Try to stay in touch, check up on her. She will come back one day (if she doesn't lose you all like I did)

Nanaof1 · 16/07/2023 17:44

Sometimes, even 20-year friendships hit their life-span and as difficult as it is to let go, you do yourself, nor her, any favors by continuing. It's sad and you need to give yourself time to feel sad and grieve. It's still better than the let-down feeling she is instilling in you.

When her bf and her end it and she comes back wanting to go on as nothing happened, just remember what she did and know it will happen again when she meets the next one.

TolkiensFallow · 16/07/2023 17:45

I am concerned that he’s controlling her. Take a step back but if he’s trying to isolate her then don’t let him succeed

Crucible · 16/07/2023 17:46

Perhaps if she is as inexperienced as you suggest, this is really like when you're an obsessed teenager in a first relationship?
Maybe it's why this man has such a hold on her, and she can't see it.

SmudgeButt · 16/07/2023 17:50

So you've been best mates for 20 years and you wouldn't consider being friends again if/when she dumps the carpy BF?

I would understand telling her you're backing off as she's not been treating you right, that you know she's with BF who you think isn't the best person for her. And that if things change with her you'll be happy to pick things up again. And then walk away.

If in a year or 5 she reappears having realised what a fool she's been then a good friend would welcome her back and see what can be repaired in the relationship. It might not be the same ever again but there might be something you can save.

HundredMilesAnHour · 16/07/2023 17:51

TheFireflies · 16/07/2023 16:41

The concern that I would have is that she’s in an abusive and controlling relationship and he’s isolating her from friends. While I understand you stepping back, I wouldn’t completely shut the door on her in the future if she needs you.

This. I'd step back from making any plans with her / having any expectations at all but I wouldn't cut her off completely. She may see the light (let's hope so) and need some help to get away from him one day.

MayThe4th · 16/07/2023 17:51

There are a lot of posts here saying things like “when she leaves him” and “when she comes to her senses,” and “when it’s all over.

But the realit is that that may never happen. So how long do you leave the door open for? Months? Years? Decades?

ultimately she’s an adult who has made questionable choices. We’re not talking about someone who met a lovely bloke who showed his true colours months down the line, we’re talking about a self confessed druggy with a criminal record who has done time and has no contact with his children. It takes a certain kind of person to be swept off their feet by that, and the instant she accepted him into her life she demonstrated her own lack of moral compass.

I would honestly just ghost her. If she ever came back I might consider talking to her, but she’s shown you what kind of person she is, and where you fit in her priorities, i.e. you don’t.