This post was developed via a partnership with BetterHelp.
In the beginning, when you meet a new person, you generally don’t think about how the friendship might end. It’s inevitable, though, that you’ll lose some of your pals over time. For a variety of reasons, people drift apart, and not all friendships last a lifetime.
The majority of the population is also unsure on how to end a friendship with a friend. Friendships, unlike intimate relationships, do not have clear examples as to how to break up with someone or obvious labels to indicate whether you are in or out of a relationship.
This can put you in an awkward position where you no longer want to be friends with someone but aren’t sure how to discontinue a friendship with that person. Consider the reasons why you think the friendship is over before deciding on a course of action.
Reasons For A Friendship To End
Breaking up with a buddy is easier when you know why you’re no longer in a relationship with that person in the first place. As you say your final goodbyes to your friend, this will help you go on.
Keeping a record of your thoughts and feelings is one method. This provides you with a private setting where you may express yourself without worrying about what other people might think. When you’re ready to break up with a friend, don’t discuss your sentiments with them until you’ve made up your decision.
There are a variety of valid reasons to call time on a friendship such as:
- Growing apart
- Deceit
- A toxic relationship
- You no longer enjoy their company
- A difference in values
Another reason most individuals don’t know how to end a friendship — but might not know when they are justified in doing so — is because the topic is rarely discussed and hence little information is available.
Your friends shouldn’t ask you to sacrifice your morals, deceive or harm another person in order to get what they want from you. Someone who isn’t making your life better deserves to be separated from your life even though it feels like a major loss.
Ending a Friendship in a Healthy Manner
Generally, there are four appropriate ways to end a friendship. Some situations need using a combination of these techniques.
The Gradual Exit
To use this strategy, gradually reduce social contact with the other person until the friendship comes to an end on its own.
As opposed to ripping the fabric to shreds, this method involves just removing the threads. As a last resort, you may choose to gradually withdraw from the friendship if you are terrified of confrontation, if the other person is unlikely to listen to or accept what you have to say, or if the situation is toxic.
Fading away from a friendship is generally a tactic used to prevent hurting someone’s feelings. As a substitute for putting your feelings on the line, you just become too busy or difficult to contact. For example, you could text instead of call, unfollow or mute the person on social media, take a long time to get back in touch, answer with brief responses and so on.
Having An Honest Conversation
It’s possible that you’ll need to have a chat with your pal if you find that a gradual fizzle is not appropriate or even if it doesn’t work. Like a romantic relationship, this is a time to talk about the future and figure out where you stand with each other.
Even if you and your friend are at odds, you may be able to work things out and save your relationship. Read more about how to healthily approach difficult conversations with people you care about here.
Taking Some Time Off
You may come to the conclusion that your differences cannot be resolved after having a conversation. What do you do if that’s the case? You have the option of ending the friendship immediately or taking a break, much like people do in love relationships.
You might come up with a variety of reasons to take a vacation from your work. If you want to be ambiguous, you may remark that you will be extra busy for a few weeks. On the other hand, if you’ve just had a conversation, you could state that you need some time to process what you’ve just said. Set a date and time in the future for a meeting, or say that you’ll get back to me as soon as you’re ready.
Putting An Immediate End To Things
When a friendship comes to an end, things might get a little crazy. Toxic friends or those that do not respect your limits are examples of people you should avoid at all costs.
If you feel that your needs are not being satisfied in this friendship, simply say so.
Send your warmest wishes to the other party for the future. This style of breakup can be beneficial since it is straightforward and unambiguous, and you have the opportunity to discuss any difficulties you’ve been keeping to yourself.
