Toxic friend - advice please

[moonlightandstars]

How to cut out a toxic, emotionally controlling energy vampire from your life with no repercussions? (I know I’m prob reaching too high here but please bare with)...

I’m full of anxiety and just feel so poorly even when this person simply texts me - feel sick/shakes/heart palps/breathless.

I’ve muted them so I don’t actually get notifications that they’ve messaged (even tho I still feel inclined to reply when I see that they’ve messaged in my texts section, because if I don’t reply within a certain amount of time they text me other stuff to make out I’m a terrible person or keep trying to call me until I answer) but I don't feel like I can fully block them either because I’m worried they’ll turn up at my door or get other people to contact me on their behalf (happened before), or other consequences (my mind is in overdrive).

I know it sounds ridiculous, I’m a fully grown woman and I can’t stick up for myself - (it’s just always been controlling and I just "put up with it" for years and now I feel weak and pathetic).
I guess the longer you let someone drain you, the harder it is to overcome.

I’m sick of the control they have over me and I just feel so stuck and helpless.

I can go hours feeling fine and then BAM I notice they've text or I've missed their call and then feel like I'm drowning.

(I’m not in any physical danger btw it’s purely emotional/mental, I’m tired of it that’s all and need some advice to shut thing thing down, please).

What sort of repercussions are you afraid of?

Ultimately you need to end the "friendship" and tell them to stop contacting you, and if they continue to harass you after that, you go the legal route/get the police involved.

Alternatively you can try "grey rock" and just be incredibly boring, and give them no feedback and hope they get bored and go away.

But honestly, if you're feeling ill and anxious over it, how much worse can cutting them off actually be?

Can you block their number? If they call you, can you tell them it's not a good time to talk? Depending how toxic they are, they will probably have a rage fit and hang up on you, which is what my toxic person did. They left me alone for 6 months before re-establishing contact though, so there is a chance you'll get hoovered if they still have your contact details.