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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Complex friendship issue - unpleasant yet vulnerable "friend," being exploited

85 replies

daisydonkey · 10/11/2023 15:15

I'm 30 and graduated from university 8 years ago. Whilst I was at university, our friendship group made friends with a girl who exhibited very , very strange behaviour; to the extent it was clear she obviously had some mental health problems. She was referred to the local CMHT whilst we were at uni, and diagnosed with EUPD from them.

Examples included:

  1. She was the eldest of 5 and said she needed money to support her parent's as her Dad's business was failing, and she'd had to take on credit cards to support this.
    As we were all students, none of us had any money spare. She'd phone us and demand money to help pay her credit card bills, and genuinely demand we would sell our stuff or take out loans/ credit card ourselves to pass on the money to her, ( obviously we all refused to do this). She would cry and say how horrible we were in refusing to assist.

  2. We didn't live with her, but she would tell us how she would lock the communal toaster and microwave in her room when she went out, ( she was in uni halls so these were owned by the uni and available to everyone).

This caused arguments with her housemates, but she refused to accept she was wrong; and she would send lengthy and abusive emails to the uni accommodation service when asked not to do this.

There were ongoing issues, with her calling 999 on housemates if they asked her to take the rubbish out, ( uni accommodation service had a weekly rota by room number). She didn't seem to understand how inappropriate it was to misuse 999 in this way, ( she'd tell 999 she felt threatened by her housemates, but admit afterwards it was just cos she wanted to stop her housemates asking her again).

  1. Whilst we were there, another student sadly died in a car crash and there was alot of local media attention. None of us, ( including her), had ever known or met him. Yet she was posting facebook memorials for the next six months about the loss of her "best friend."

  2. She got into a very worrying and strange relationship during uni. The man involved was the same age as us, but not a student and working full time. He'd take her to hotels to stay very regularly, ( alot of these were paid for via his work). She'd tell us she didn't want to have sex until she was married for religious reasons, but he would sexually assault at these hotels. We told her to cut all contact with him and to report to the police, but she would continually go back and then genuinely appear surprised when she was assaulted again. He ended the relationship by blocking her on everything, ( he even married someone else when he was in his early 20's), but years after he cut contact and blocked her, she'd maintain that, "he's technically cheating on me by marrying x, as he didn't actually say he'd dumped me , he just blocked me, so until he says he dumped me we are still in a relationship," ( this was years after he'd cut contact by blocking her on everything).

  3. She'd regularly accuse university staff, ( both lecturers and support staff such as library workers), of being verbally abusive to her and would make formal complaints regarding this. This normally centred around her wanting extensions , and not understanding what was an acceptable reason to request an extension for an essay, ( her subject was 100% coursework). E.G she would think they were being abusive if she requested an extension as she had to go to a family party the day before an essay was due.

We stayed friends with her as it was clear she was vulnerable, had the EUPD diagnosis and had poor mental health bad enough for the CMHT to be involved.

But after we graduated her behaviour ramped up further. She began to get very nasty to various members of the group . Most cut contact. I never officially cut contact, but remained very, very low contact and "busy."

She messaged me recently out of the blue and said she was having a hard time as a relative had died and wanted to reconnect. I felt bad too say a flat out no.

However, since this message 8 weeks ago she's been phoning me upwards of 10 x a day, demands to know why I just don't tell my employer to "wait!!!" when she calls whilst im working .

She is still demanding money for very spurious reasons, ( this time, due to a cousin having an emergency), and is still annoyed when I say no.

She will ring at midnight on work nights and be genuinely offended when I say I can't talk, ( she doesn't work and receives benefits due to he mental health). It honestly appears from talking to her, she hasn't changed at all.

More disturbingly, she says she is in regular contact with the man who assaulted her at uni. He is still married and has told her he won't leave his wife for her, but is happy to meet her in hotels for sex. She has forwarded me messages and the way he speaks to her is disgusting, and he is clearly laughing at her obvious vulnerabilities, ( also spurious threats that if she tells his wife they are in contact he will report her parents to HMRC).

I know I'm not responsible for her and she is not a very pleasant person to be around; but she is so vulnerable and clearly being sexually exploited by this man that I feel bad to cut her off completely.

What would be the best way forward here ?

For clarity, she says she is no longer under a CMHT but receives PIP and UC as her mental health makes her too ill to work; so I can't speak to CMHT R.E. my concerns she is being exploited.
Alot of her contact is about this man and what she can do to finally win him back from his wife.....

OP posts:
daisydonkey · 10/11/2023 15:30

Just to add, my partner is getting extremely fed up of the calls and wants her blocked.

OP posts:
Afteropening · 10/11/2023 15:32

And I don’t suppose your partner was too happy with you spending all that time writing one of the longest threads I have ever seen!

can you summarise?

LucyvanderPelt · 10/11/2023 15:33

Could you contact her local social work dept to report concerns about a vulnerable adult being exploited?

bluejelly · 10/11/2023 15:33

Oh god that sounds very difficult. I would have rock solid boundaries ie I will never lend her money, will only speak to her for 15 mins a week etc. Otherwise you risk her mental health and personality issues impacting you. You are not responsible for her and you should never let her make you feel guilty

AttilaTheMeerkat · 10/11/2023 15:36

I think you’re going to have to block all her ways of she being able to contact you like so many others have done . She’s really only contacting you because you are still a willing audience (ask yourself why that is). This is not someone you want in your life at all and your partner certainly has a point.

2strappinglads · 10/11/2023 15:37

Afteropening · 10/11/2023 15:32

And I don’t suppose your partner was too happy with you spending all that time writing one of the longest threads I have ever seen!

can you summarise?

Wow

Insuranceheadache · 10/11/2023 15:39

She hasn't changed because she has a PD. You're not in a position to help her. So your choices are to carry on like this or to cut contact.

TuxedoCatsRule · 10/11/2023 15:39

Honestly, I don’t think this person is your problem. Alerting her local adult social services as a previous poster suggests is about as much as you can do, and I don’t think anyone would blame you for blocking her. She’s clearly unwell and has been for a long time. I hope she doesn’t know your address or workplace.

SaturdayGiraffe · 10/11/2023 15:40

What do you get out of this relationship?

MrsKwazi · 10/11/2023 15:40

Honestly OP just block. You really don’t owe her anything. To get the benefits she does she must be one someone’s radar. You don’t need to invite this chaos into your life and nothing you do can fix her or her situation.

JustStopOilyPoshKids · 10/11/2023 15:40

I'd just back right off and leave her to it. You have no idea if anything she says is true or not. I had someone like this drain me for years. If I sound cold and harsh now so be it. But unless this invloved an immediate family member or someone I cared deeply about I would disengage/ ignore/ block at the first hint of drama. You cannot make sense of nonsense

GloriousGoosebumps · 10/11/2023 15:46

She needs someone to look out for her but I can't see how you can be that person for her. You mention parents and 5 siblings, would you consider contacting the family member she is closest to and passing on your concerns?

TorroFerney · 10/11/2023 15:48

Afteropening · 10/11/2023 15:32

And I don’t suppose your partner was too happy with you spending all that time writing one of the longest threads I have ever seen!

can you summarise?

Bad day mate?

benefitsterrified · 10/11/2023 15:49

Just block her.

Octavia64 · 10/11/2023 15:49

EUPD is often the result of childhood abuse.

She clearly has serious mental health issues.

You cannot fix them.

You need to put boundaries in place with respect to the level of contact you are willing to accept, whether by blocking her except for a hour each evening of whatever works for you.

Detach with love.

OhComeOnFFS · 10/11/2023 15:50

Afteropening · 10/11/2023 15:32

And I don’t suppose your partner was too happy with you spending all that time writing one of the longest threads I have ever seen!

can you summarise?

That's really rude. I found it interesting.

DiamandaTheGreat · 10/11/2023 15:50

What a difficult situation OP. You've done your best by her but I really don't see how you can improve her situation or provide what she needs - she's mentally ill and it sounds as though she needs comprehensive treatment for that. I think I have to agree with others suggesting you cut all contact - she isn't going to change any time soon, or without considerable professional help.

Afteropening · 10/11/2023 15:53

Have you contacted any of the other group ? Are you still in contact with them?

OhComeOnFFS · 10/11/2023 15:54

It's sad that there's nothing you can do about that guy. I was wondering whether she was making it all up about him now, but it sounds as though you've seen his messages.

She's not going to stop talking to him because he's giving her attention, albeit the very worst kind.

You have to protect yourself. There are no half measures with her - it's not as though you can have a half-hour chat every week, or answer one message a day. She's not wired like that, as you've learned.

Ultimately the only thing you can do is block her, I'm afraid.

SapphosRock · 10/11/2023 15:54

Afteropening · 10/11/2023 15:32

And I don’t suppose your partner was too happy with you spending all that time writing one of the longest threads I have ever seen!

can you summarise?

Why be so rude? It's all relevant.

God what a hard situation. She must be very used to getting blocked so I would be explicit

'If you call me more than once a week I will block you.'

loverrr · 10/11/2023 15:57

Afteropening · 10/11/2023 15:32

And I don’t suppose your partner was too happy with you spending all that time writing one of the longest threads I have ever seen!

can you summarise?

Rude!

Kittenkitty · 10/11/2023 15:58

People with EUPD need boundaries. They will always try and push them, they will always try and find limits. So either walk away or set boundaries that are manageable for you. As a previous poster suggested something like a call on Tuesdays evenings - no contact after 9pm etc. You can’t help her. Mental health professionals are rarely able to make significant headway with people with EUPD.

pickledandpuzzled · 10/11/2023 15:59

Nothing you do with her will improve her life- it’s who she is, and how she rolls. You could say ‘I won’t take calls and I won’t give you money. I will meet you for coffee once a month.Do you want that?’

With regard to the man, I’d get the texts and speak to social services. She is a vulnerable adult. They may well tell you that she is completely free to choose to associate with an abusive man. He is a piece of shit. She still has agency. There are many ways she could self harm. She’s chosen this one.

Pennyplant19 · 10/11/2023 16:05

Afteropening · 10/11/2023 15:32

And I don’t suppose your partner was too happy with you spending all that time writing one of the longest threads I have ever seen!

can you summarise?

Nice

Purpleraiin · 10/11/2023 16:18

I say this as someone who's partner has eupd and a friend with eupd...either cut contact or put firm boundaries in place, relay these to her and make it clear if she doesn't stick to them you will have to let go of the friendship. It's unlikely she is no longer under the CMHT, but either way it doesn't sound like she is taking medication or engaging in therapies. Her behaviour sounds like a classic splitting episode.
I also say this as nicely as I possibly can. Take anything she says/accuses people of with a pinch of salt regardless of what messages she shows you or what she tells you. Someone with eupd during a split can become very manipulative, lie, make up their own warped narrative and see it as 100% reality because that's what they genuinely perceive a situation to be. Alot of it gets forgotten once they are out the split.
I could reel off all sorts of lies and accusations my friend and partner have come out with that I know are 100% false. Some also SA related and could seriously damage someone's life, my own being one of those lives at one point.
If you continue to speak to her, do not play into it, do not validate the bullshit. Validate that its ok for her to have the feelings she has, but help her question how much truth there is to her accusations. She needs to figure out if her thoughts and accusations are actual truth, or are they her truth that she's conjured up

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