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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Work bestie borderline harassing me

104 replies

roofusdoofus · 15/02/2024 08:36

I work a corporate job for a relatively big company but my onsite office is quite small with less than six staff in total. When I started in September one of the girls similar in age befriended me immediately because everyone else was older, married, or had kids. I tried to establish boundaries because I had heard stories about her but also wanted the space to form my own opinion. I’m 23 and she’s 25.

Within a month of starting she added me on all social media I had and was frequently texting me outside of work. I would wake up with at least five different notifications from her across three platforms, and eventually this amounted to more when she added me to groupchats with other colleagues from other offices (without my consent). The groupchats were chronic, if it wasn’t pictures of work related memes, it was five minute long voice notes of people complaining about our job. It facilitated negativity so I left every chat.

The best way to describe her is friend of many but friend of none. I thought originally she had a lot of friends but realised they were just people she got pictures with.

She left on Friday for a new job after accusing the manager of bullying her, which was a completely false accusation. She made a lot of big mistakes that costed the company money, lied about miscarrying, and was overall really problematic and made the office a very negative environment. She has a very big victim complex. The reason I can say this is because her life outside of work mirrors it, her housemates are the worst, or her childhood friends are, she’s always the victim but never the actual cause.

We went for drinks Friday to say goodbye (the whole office) but everyone left around 830pm. I stayed until her friend came, but she started crying saying she doesn’t want me to cut her out and she knows she can be self absorbed and only talk about herself but “she does listen”. I think my jaw is still on the floor of the bar!

Since then she’s been texting me non stop to the stage I have had to delete Instagram, Facebook, and Linkedin (leaving snapchat and messenger). She just won’t stop and I have told her to stop sending multiple messages, one is fine, and I will reply when and if I can to her. She just won’t stop. I am on the verge of a breakdown over her.

The problem is I can’t block her because we have mutual work friends, and she will paint me out to be the big bad wolf. She already told one of my work colleagues I’m being super off with her (who knows exactly what she’s like so passes no heed). My only option is to set her a message explaining but I don’t know how to word it.

AIBU? I feel exhausted day in, day out, I’ve started using my phone less, removing apps, just to try free myself from her.

OP posts:
Thisilldo · 15/02/2024 08:42

Just put her on mute. You won’t see the messages unless you specifically look for her. I’m in a similar situation I just ignore and reply when I’m ready

roofusdoofus · 15/02/2024 08:43

roofusdoofus · 15/02/2024 08:36

I work a corporate job for a relatively big company but my onsite office is quite small with less than six staff in total. When I started in September one of the girls similar in age befriended me immediately because everyone else was older, married, or had kids. I tried to establish boundaries because I had heard stories about her but also wanted the space to form my own opinion. I’m 23 and she’s 25.

Within a month of starting she added me on all social media I had and was frequently texting me outside of work. I would wake up with at least five different notifications from her across three platforms, and eventually this amounted to more when she added me to groupchats with other colleagues from other offices (without my consent). The groupchats were chronic, if it wasn’t pictures of work related memes, it was five minute long voice notes of people complaining about our job. It facilitated negativity so I left every chat.

The best way to describe her is friend of many but friend of none. I thought originally she had a lot of friends but realised they were just people she got pictures with.

She left on Friday for a new job after accusing the manager of bullying her, which was a completely false accusation. She made a lot of big mistakes that costed the company money, lied about miscarrying, and was overall really problematic and made the office a very negative environment. She has a very big victim complex. The reason I can say this is because her life outside of work mirrors it, her housemates are the worst, or her childhood friends are, she’s always the victim but never the actual cause.

We went for drinks Friday to say goodbye (the whole office) but everyone left around 830pm. I stayed until her friend came, but she started crying saying she doesn’t want me to cut her out and she knows she can be self absorbed and only talk about herself but “she does listen”. I think my jaw is still on the floor of the bar!

Since then she’s been texting me non stop to the stage I have had to delete Instagram, Facebook, and Linkedin (leaving snapchat and messenger). She just won’t stop and I have told her to stop sending multiple messages, one is fine, and I will reply when and if I can to her. She just won’t stop. I am on the verge of a breakdown over her.

The problem is I can’t block her because we have mutual work friends, and she will paint me out to be the big bad wolf. She already told one of my work colleagues I’m being super off with her (who knows exactly what she’s like so passes no heed). My only option is to set her a message explaining but I don’t know how to word it.

AIBU? I feel exhausted day in, day out, I’ve started using my phone less, removing apps, just to try free myself from her.

Just to add, I don’t think she’s my “bestie” at all but she does. She went up to my friend over Christmas and said we were best friends and see each other everyday, my friend was bewildered by it.

The other thing is she knows where I live, she dropped me home one evening when my car was being repaired (heavy rain) and sometimes spins by my house to see what I’m doing. No joke! She’ll text to say she’s outside or nearby, expecting an invite (that never comes)

OP posts:
LauritaEvita · 15/02/2024 08:43

You’re completely within your rights to block her. She’s pushing you over your limits and it’s getting to you. You don’t owe someone from work a friendship and nobody can demand a friendship from you. You could perhaps send her a polite message beforehand- something along the lines of you are taking a break from your phone and will just be using it for close friends and family and work related correspondence from now on. No hard feelings but that does mean you’ll be unable to respond to messages.

KreedKafer · 15/02/2024 08:46

The problem is I can’t block her because we have mutual work friends, and she will paint me out to be the big bad wolf

So what? She doesn’t work with you or your work friends any more, and they also know what she’s like. If she complains to them, simply point out that she is pretty much stalking you and continued to bombard you with hundreds of messages on multiple platforms even after you asked her to stop. You’re being ridiculous.

quittingsugaryay · 15/02/2024 08:46

Just block her, she has another job. You won't have to see her again or ignore her without blocking her.

LauritaEvita · 15/02/2024 08:46

That’s over stepping a boundary and would freak me out. I don’t want anyone turning up to my home uninvited bar siblings and parents!

KreedKafer · 15/02/2024 08:48

roofusdoofus · 15/02/2024 08:43

Just to add, I don’t think she’s my “bestie” at all but she does. She went up to my friend over Christmas and said we were best friends and see each other everyday, my friend was bewildered by it.

The other thing is she knows where I live, she dropped me home one evening when my car was being repaired (heavy rain) and sometimes spins by my house to see what I’m doing. No joke! She’ll text to say she’s outside or nearby, expecting an invite (that never comes)

She is literally stalking you and unless you tell her to stop contacting you completely and then block her you will not have a leg to stand on when this escalates (which it will).

elizabethdraper · 15/02/2024 08:49

Block and move on.

Fuckitydoodah · 15/02/2024 08:51

Just unfriend her across all social media and block her on WhatsApp and your phone. You don't have to see her again. I doubt any of your colleagues will care if she tries to bitch about you. She's yesterday's news to them already and will soon be forgotten. I'd bet she'll soon move onto a colleague at her new job anyway.

You don't owe her anything!

stcrispinsday · 15/02/2024 08:52

She sounds deranged. The good news is, this is literally what the block function was invented for. Send her one last message saying "please stop contacting me, the frequency of your messages is overwhelming" then block her without a second thought!

Prizefighter · 15/02/2024 08:53

Block her. Everyone can see what she is like.

ArchetypalBusyMum · 15/02/2024 08:53

Can you send her a message saying this isn't communication it's bombardment. I'm not enjoying this friendship so I'm out.

People who have a habit of being obsessive don't respond well to hints of subtlety.

You need to be crystal clear

tinkerbellvspredator · 15/02/2024 08:54

Grow a backbone. You don't even need to see her at work now so there are no consequences to blocking. Work friends won't give a shit.

SallyWD · 15/02/2024 08:56

That sounds really tough. I think you have two options: either block her and cut all contact immediately or do the slow fade out, where you start communicating less and less until it eventually dies out. I wonder what would happen if you block her? I wonder if she'd come to your house. I wouldn't worry about what your mutual friend thinks. She obviously knows what she's like and it's none of her business if you end that friendship.
If you did want to write to her you could say something like "I've really struggled with the volume of messages from you. They're having a terrible effect on my life and I'm finding I can't cope with our friendship anymore. I'll be ending contact between us now but I wish you all the very best in your life."

Eightfour · 15/02/2024 08:57

The mutual work friends will also have experience of her and know what she is like. I wouldn’t worry about it. Just block.

NigelHarmansNewWife · 15/02/2024 08:58

I've voted you're unreasonable because you should just block her and unfriend/unfollow, etc across these platforms and change your privacy settings if necessary. Tell her to leave you alone and if she doesn't then go to the police. Her behaviour is unhinged and she's harassing you. From what you've said, everyone knows what she's like so if she badmouths you, so what?

fruitbrewhaha · 15/02/2024 08:59

Gosh, I’m a bit concerned where this will end. You need one last message to tell her it’s too much and you’re not interested in her friendship. Tell your mystical friends you are backing away from her.

Is there someone who you could stay with afterwards, or better still stay with you in case she turns up at home?

skilpadde · 15/02/2024 09:00

Block her, or at least mute her, on everything.

She'll soon latch on to a new victim, so right now you just need to ride out the interim period until she does.

Whattodo112222 · 15/02/2024 09:00

You're not helping yourself by not blocking her OP.

curlysue1991 · 15/02/2024 09:03

Oh good god I feel like I wrote this post!!! Exact same situation but it was me who left for a new job, constantly texting sending memes Snapchat etc, my new job was a shitshow, retail environment just before Christmas no staff in the height of covid super long hours and stressful but she never understood how I didn't have time to reply to her multiple messages an hour, eventually her mam text me and I blew up at her and that was the end of it, honestly just cut her out of your life, the peace you'll have is going to be worth it trust me

Hankunamatata · 15/02/2024 09:03

Just back or mute her.
Your being dramatic deleting stuff

ToothFairy2023 · 15/02/2024 09:06

One final message. I am taking some much needed time away from my phone and social media and reducing my contacts. Please do not attempt to contact me again. Wishing you all the very best for the future. Then block her mobile number and a landline if she has one and also block her on any social media platforms you maybe on. Fingers crossed she gets the message and moves on but if not I would keep a log of any further attempts to contact you or turn up at your house and report.

MzHz · 15/02/2024 09:06

@roofusdoofus you know this isn’t what you want, she ISNT your friend, she’s a colleague and an ex one at that.

you can block her and tell the mutual work friends what you’ve done and why, not for drama, just to make them aware

you know you’re not a bad bitch, believe in yourself

people WILL see her for who she is, and they’re going to see you for the person you are.

tell this woman that she’s bombarding you and it’s not acceptable, say that you enjoyed working with her but that’s as far as it’s gone and what’s happening now is overwhelming and unwelcome. Tell her you’re blocking her, but you wish her well for the future

Moveoverdarlin · 15/02/2024 09:07

Send her a message saying ‘Can we meet Saturday morning at Costa? Need to talk to you. You free at 10am? let me know?’ Xx

Wait for her reply, then ignore any messages between now and Saturday. When you meet, tell her how you really like her and you want to keep in touch but it’s just all too much. Say you don’t want to block her but you are on the verge because of the constant messages. Talk about her good points but lay the ground rules. Ask her to keep it to a few messages a week, tell her to keep in touch but not to pop round unannounced. She sounds fragile, I’d try and be nice.

WanderlyWagonInWales · 15/02/2024 09:08

Why are you allowing her to dictate your social media usage so much? Block her / unfriend her / delete and just move on.

You and only you get to decide when you want to delete accounts. You’re giving her far too much power over you. Come on OP, you can do this 💪🏻

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