Needy Friends: A Friend Indeed?
Do you have needy friends?
There are some friends who feel like an emotional ball and chain. They’re always in need of one thing or another: money, favors, help, coddling, praise—or simply more time than you have to give.
Like a wailing toddler, they can be so demanding that their friendship tires you and weighs you down.
What type of people attract needy friends?
Who needs that kind of friend? Many women do.
- People who like feeling needed—or once liked the feeling (even if they don’t anymore)
- People who feel like they aren’t worthy of healthier, more balanced relationships
- People who are stuck—either feeling angry or sorry for their needy friend—and feel unable to get out of it
But if you have begun to recognize that a female friendship is a drag, you’ve taken the first step in relieving yourself of the burden.
How to unload a needy friend who drains you of energy
- Change the nature of your friendship by learning to say “no” and setting boundaries (e.g. “Even though we are both single, I don’t want to spend every Friday night together.”)
- Tell her that you have to tend to your own needs (or those of anyone else you can think of)
- Slip away – Spend less time with her and add other less demanding friends to your inventory
- Take a “relationship sabbatical” or hiatus from the friendship (you deserve it!)
- If it’s that bad, simply cut loose!
When does a friendship with someone who is needy turn toxic?
Remember, the term toxic friendships refers to relationships that are consistently negative and draining. It shouldn’t be applied to an individual because that same individual may not be as needy or toxic in another relationship.
In a needy friend, what is hard to endure is the pattern of that behavior. That neediness is different from the one-time or occasional lapses in the balance of relying on one another that typically takes place between good friends.
Is a truly needy friend likely to change?
Unfortunately, If your truly needy friend has consistently been that way for some time, the real possibilities of changing the relationship verge on being hopeless.
In essence, these are people with needs so great that they can never be satiated. No matter what you give, what you do, how much, or how often, it will never be enough.
Since character tends to endure, it’s likely that this person treats other people the same way she treats you. It’s also likely that many of her other friends may have already dropped out of the picture and that’s why she is so dependent on you.
A version of this post was also published on Psychology Today
Category: Needy friends
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Sites That Link to this Post
- Purposeful Friendships – LoquiLife | July 2, 2016
- When you know you’ve found a decent friend (PART 2) | For the Mildly Introverted | October 17, 2015
Hey I think I made a mistake of letting my friend back in he’s always needing to call me everyday the rest of my friends don’t do that it bothers the heck out of me I’m more of spacier friend and he’s calling me everyday after I discuss things like you can’t text me everyday or call me it annoys me I love time for myself he still does it I think he’s just alone I’m more of loner type of person I don’t want any more friends I say i need friends but once we become friends they talk to me almost everyday it’s annoying really this might sound me but I’m working on myself my dad passed away about a year ago and I need some time we don’t heal the next day it takes life time to heal I just wish my friend understood more instead of him “joking” oh so you only answer when I call you I’m here thinking I don’t have to call you everyday or text you everyday I just wish he respect my needs I need alone time he says that I need to say it but he doesn’t get it never trust words look through actions ! I’m seeing he’s not so caring he needs to get out there find friends his own type I’m not good friend to do that for what he wants his roommate and boyfriend didn’t like what I did ignore him for a month when I told him that I need time for myself some type of friend you are he’s not the only one went through losses in the family anyone has tips he sounds desperate of wanting to hang out it looks sad and embarrassing I feel so horrible for saying this but he needs to learn the word respect as well he has a bf he should be talking to him not me he has two other friends that he keeps up with he says he doesn’t have friends any advice should I give up on this friendship I over think a lot and my therapist says I shouldn’t over think and stress about the friendship if he’s treating me bad they say I’m the bad person ?
Seriously? Do you read newspapers. Or. Look around? Maybe if you did you’d see there’s more to life then. Being soooo. Caught up in yourself . Your parents aren’t helping you they’re hindering you. They should encourage you to do what’s best for you and let you problem solve like the mature person you are.with them letting you run to them. Your growth stops. And that’s exactly what you sound like. A. Selfabsorbed. Pouty kid who’s parents never made you tell them what really went on. But rewarded yout one sided tales of how you are always the victim and someone else made you do it. Shame on your parents and you and anyone who doesn’t encourage you to grow up. to work it out. And move forward. Whether that’s with or without your friend. Or you just might end up celebrating your 42nd birthday. Living in your parents garage with nothing but alot of excuses and oone sided tales to show for youtime.
I have a friend who basically did this to me over a period of six years.At first I was happy to be there for her. She was a single mom, had a lot of problems. One if those people who always seem to need rescuing. And it wasn’t just me, EVERYONE who knew her felt this need to take care of her. It wasn’t until later I realized she was sort of orchestrating this. Everyone saw her as a perpetual victim who just needed the help of a good friend(or boyfriend). For some reason, though, I ended up in the center of it. Her boyfriends would constantly bug me to help them “understand” her so they could “save” her. Guys would get online crushes and start blowing up my messenger asking me for advice about her. It came to a point where I started noticing a pattern. She’d get a guy to like her, they’d come to me confessing their “love”, I’d try to be helpful to them both. She’d break up, find a new guy, etc. Somehow I always ended up in the middle of her relationship crap. And when the guy would pass her off, I’d be a sort of mediator. She’d call me all the time, crying about this and that. Finally it started to get weird. She’d start going aftet married men, men from work, ex boyfriends. She’d flirt with guys who were dangerous. I’d stand by in horror and watch her shred her life to pieces. And if I gave her advice? It would be ignored because “I just can’t help it.” She just kept doing all these crazy, dangerous things. Finally there came a point in my life where I was struggling with my own life. My problems weren’t as “dramatic” as hers, but they were still there and had gotten so bad I came close to a nervous breakdown. I tried confiding on her and what did I get? “Wow. That sucks”…After they hate things went downhill, because it was clear she didnt give a crap about me. She made it about her soon afyter and she got ANOTHER shit boyfriend. My problems weren’t even a blip on her radar. My resentment got so bad, finally we ended up in a fist fight in a parking lot. After that, even if she tried to be nice, I can’t stand the sight of her. It would’ve been better if I set boundaries early on. Maybe it wouldn’t have gotten so toxic.
I had a friend like this, but not as extreme! So many incidents, I don’t have the energy to go into, but everything in her life was a drama but my dad dying of cancer got “well there’s worse things going on in the world…” I wrote her a strong email the following week when I could gather my thoughts and then a year ago I decided to just cut contact altogether. Never felt so good!
I have this friends who always makes me spend more,they make me pay all the bills.let say we go out,they expect me to pay for transport and when I don’t and I ask them to,they get angry and starts acting weird.am the giving type,I give without being asked,but when the people you give to never gives back it kinda not fair especially when they never appreciate it.i got a new handbag and I only used it twice then my friend borrowed it and when I went to take it back after some weeks,she started acting cold.i really don’t understand,I don’t know why I can’t have friends like me,friends who give and never keep secrets.i always have this same issues with all my friends,I don’t know if the problem is from me or them.i need your advice please cos it’s really bordering me.tanx
I met my so call “friend ” 3 years ago and she’s still not a good friend to me because she always says she’s busy but I don’t understand. I’ve NEVER had a best friend but when we first met I was so happy to meet her and still am but she’s just not the type of person I thought she was. SHE NEVER TELLS ME ANYTHING AND WHEN I ASK HER QUESTIONS SHE JUST GIVES ME SHORT ANSWERS. :((
Well darling I really don’t think you should keep such friends,I real friend should be able to tell you everything and listens to you.she will always make out time for you
I am in problems with my boyfriend I have been with him 10 years I tell my friend how am feeling I am currently pregnant to so my emotions are up and down my friend what I thought was true said to me don’t tell me nothing about him I don’t want to no that has upset me
I have/ had a similar friend, and felt the same way you did. Very happy to have what I thought was a good friend. Because I too never had a best friend. We became such good friends because she was going through A LOT to say the least. And i was like her at work dr phil. I thought she and i were real friends. Shed buy me breakfast in the morning, i did the same, and shared everything. Id go out of my way to help her, and she displayed the same. But it seemed as soon as she didnt need my counsling services lol our relationship died out. Anytime id try to make plans with her she’d flake. Rarely answered my texts or calls. Always just too busy. She asked to come over my house to use the computer after work, and i was happy to. I cleaned up a little, stayed up past normal time my house shuts down and 30 mins before she was suppose to come, she texted and said its too late etc. i felt that was a slap in the face and totally disregarded my time etc. now it seems the only time we talk is when she has things to figure out or advice. By the way in which im on the giving end, and never the receiving end. I began distancing myself, little to no conversation. She went on as if nothing was wrong. We have kind of gotten on the right track, but its not the same. I feel something happened but nothing has. Its draining!
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Maybe you should find something to do besides interrogating her. She is obviously busy. Sometimes it’s not all about you. You sound needy and your friend probably didn’t realize how clingy you were til it was too late. Maybe she felt sorry for you and tried to help only to find that you are an emotional vampire sucking her energy for your self absorbed version of friendship. They say misery loves company…only problem with that is I doubt your friend is miserable enough to commiserate with you. I think you would be delighted if she had a daily drama to share with you about her tragic life. She sounds like perhaps she doesn’t though…much to your dismay I’m sure. You sound vindictive too the way you say “friend” in quotes. I’m sure she doesn’t appreciate that. Needless to say maybe you should consider your statement that you have NEVER had a best friend. Maybe you have an unrealistic concept of what friendship is. People who have healthy friendships don’t make comments like yours. They are too busy with their lives to go on line complaining to strangers about their only “friend”.
I’ve had this friend for a long time. Now high schoolers, I’ve been friends with her since we were 6. We’ve been best friends for a few years now. Recently, she has been making more friends, but she is still very needy.
One thing she does everyday, is take my lunch. This has been going on for about two years. Everyday at school, she comes and asks for my lunch. I have to eat quick to get my own lunch. At first, I didn’t really mind, but now I go hungry without food most days. If I tell her I don’t want to give her my food, she gets angry at me and tells me I’m a bad friend and talks behind my back to her other friends. I don’t want to be mean and let her go without eating, but I need to eat too.
She also gets angry at me when I don’t ask about her life. She is a bit of a drama queen, so she’ll tell me about drama that happened and I’ll listen. I’ll talk to her about it and then be done. Then a week later she’ll get angry at me for not bringing it up again.
She even gets angry at me at times when I should be angry with her. I think she does it to push it away from her. I’m not good at being angry at people or holding a grudge. One time, we both liked the same guy. I told her I liked him, then a few months later, she told me she liked him too. No big deal, not wanting drama, I told her I didn’t like him anymore, even though I did. I never presued him because our friendship was too important. After, she asked me who I liked. I told her I didn’t really like anyone, but she wasn’t okay with that answer. She told me she wasn’t talking to me until I told her someone. We went like this for a few days until I just told her I liked a guy I’m friends with, but not to tell jom. The guy friend, I told her I liked, knew I liked the boy both of us liked. The next day, she told the guy friend, who I told her I liked, I had a crush on him. The guy friend told her who I really liked, and she got angry at me. I know I lied to her and that was wrong, but she lied to me too. I should’ve been angry at her for breaking my trust and telling the guy friend, who I told her I liked, I liked him without permission. I talked to my friend and cleared things up. My guy friend told me she’d acted like she never knew the boy we both liked, making me look like a bad guy, even though I just didnt want drama. (I guess I did deserve that a bit for lying..)
My friend invites herself over a lot! I’m okay with it, I mean we’re friends. The thing is, she never shows up. She won’t even tell me she’s not going to come over. We’ll make plans, but then she won’t show for the plans. She’ll invite herself over again another day, and I’ll say sorry, I already made plans for that day. If I say that, she’ll try to guilt me into breaking my plans. She’ll say she is going to be so bored and she’ll have to babysit or do something if I don’t invite her over. She’ll say she’ll be shoer sad or not be able to have a good week. If I still don’t break my plans, she’ll get mad at me saying I never hang out with her and I’m a bad friend.
I don’t know what to do.. :/ Thanks.
Lila, this girl isn’t actually your friend. I’m so sorry, but she’s simply using you. The problem with people like this is that they tend to damage a persons s of worth really badly. She sounds like a real bully, to be honest.
Here’s what friends are:
1. People who care about if you are healthy and happy.. stealing your lunch isn’t being a friend.
2. Friends respect your needs and wishes. They do not try to manipulate you, using anger or guilt, into doing things you don’t want to do.
3. Friends are people who are willing to compromise with you to find answers to conflict. They are willing to listen to you, even if they don’t agree.
This girl is harming you, every day. Please talk to a parent, school counsellors, or another trusted adult to get some help, okay?
For starters tell her NO!!! When she tries to take your lunch. Stand tall, look her in the eye and simply tell her no. No other words needed, she knows perfectly she’s doing wrong. It’s her problem if she gets angry over that, not yours.
You deserve a lot better than this.
I’ve been needy lots of times in my life, a lot of times because of matters that weren’t objectively earth shattering but for me, were difficult to deal with. I reached out to several friends and probably appeared needy or only coming forward when I needed something. I can only guess that I appeared self-centered or selfish, perhaps slightly. It may have hurt these relationships and only the strong ones stayed alive through time. Older and perhaps wiser now, I realize that everyone is different. Being more empathetic and more needy as well, I can tolerate much more venting, emotional neediness from others, etc. But most of my friends/ex-friends could/cannot.
On the other hand, I think it is important that we not judge “needy” friends. I think a lot of neediness stems from childhood wants and deficits in love/affection from childhood. I don’t think anyone can honestly expect never to be on the needy side of life (either emotionally, physically, materially) ever. It’s like the saying goes, “walk in another man’s shoes…” for a awhile before you judge them. Self-centered narcissism is another things – these folks are toxic, they put others down and believe the world revolves around them and their issues. Totally different. Narcissists aren’t going to be there for you when it is time for you to be the needy one.
I definitely understand but it comes to a point where we have to set boundaries with those friends and work to be better
Im knew as “the girl who has a rich dad” at school so i have this friend..we have been friends for 2 years?n i think she uses me for my money bcz she has her own money but is always aaking me for money always coming up with excuses she is even starting to bore me…she borrowed R20 from me n she nvr gave it back shes been saying her mom doesnt even have money she only uses cents?n shes lieing her mom does have money…she always wants to take my money..she always wants me to buy for her…but wen she has her own money an she gets angry if i dnt buy for her..pls tell me im not over reacting
Im going though the same thing its really hard. Just recently I lost my best friend to a fight we had it can never be resolved. I was the one who started the fight and we both said things we both regret. Then a week went by with no contact with her and I started getting horrible emails. I got so annoyed I did the wrong thing and emailed her back saying things I now regret.
At our school the year 7 corridor is now out-of-bounds so I just walk around in circles. I’m one of those girls who is on the strange side though I like who i am, others don’t.
I have been offered into a group but I didn’t accept because they wanted me to change. Why would I want to?? I wish other people out there did understand me. But I guess they don’t ?
Please Help Me.
Hi Alice
You sound in need of a hug. How horrible to be presumably at a new high school and you and your friend have fallen out.
Big first step, you’ve shared your problem with us out in the internet, is there anyone there you can share this with where you are? Parents? Older siblings or friends? Or at my kids school, they have a college manager or counsellor to spill things like this out to. It might help you get some perspective on the argument and the subsequent emails.
I understand why you don’t just want to join in with another group, you want to be true to yourself, and that is admirable. Big cheer for those on the strange side.
I suspect, given time you and your old friend may come to a better understanding. Its all too raw now, and things have been said by both of you that I’m prepared to bet you both regret. That’s why I’m suggesting find someone neutral to share this with, someone to talk with who isn’t directly involved.
In the meantime, look after yourself. Make yourself a nice mug of hot chocolate (or other favourite drink), and pamper yourself a bit. Being in year 7 is hard enough as it is with timetables, hormones and other stuff to be dealing with.
Best wishes Su
Hi!
I had this friend who constantly seek out the attention from guys…I used to think well it doesn’t matter, because who am I to judge, and she’s my friend. But then with time I came to realize that was a big part of who she was…in the sense that, she would go to parties for example and invite some guy friends (mutual friends) to go with her but not include me. And I let it go, and let it go some more because again, we are not supposed to be glued to our friends either (I rationalized), but then she would do it often and not even mention it (that she went out to such party with them or something, it felt like she hid it), and yet I was still her ‘bff’ somehow.
She would go on to not only flirt with them but sleep or at least make out with almost all of our guy friends. I didn’t make anything of it either, was even used to it, and then something major happened. One of our friends started hitting on me, and something happened. The next thing I know is she starts calling him regularly and asking what he is up, to go out so on. Until they go out of course and have sex. That threw me off. I didn’t get her behavior, why do it with the only guy I’d shown interest. It was as if she couldn’t tolerate someone paying more attention to me than her. It felt like a betrayal. And it was beyond me having thought I was heading something with him, because we had just started and nothing was that defined, but about the fact that I confided in her and she went and did that without telling me either later and I found out on my own.
I didn’t trust her since then. I tried and forgive her, but it’s difficult when they don’t even offer an apology for it. I was obviously angry with her afterwards, she couldn’t have been that oblivious, but then it also felt like she ignored it and just try coaxing me into talking as if it were another day.
To not make this any longer, I went on talking with her, with my walls up, and after two-three more years of friendship it finally ended. She bad-mouthed me with some people after some misunderstanding, and it was more than I could take. It didn’t feel she was friends years ago and she didn’t prove me wrong years later. Sometimes you want to stay friends with someone even though you know they are no good for you.
Me & my boyfriend was planning to get married last month, just last week we had some argument that made him get angry on me just because of the argument, he said we will not be married again and the next day he left me and we broke up. I still loved him and I wanted him to marry me, for me to get him back i had no choice than to contacted [email protected] yahoo. com to help me and he helped me to bring my lover back to me so we can continue our plan to be married. he came back after 3 days
Shelley
Spain
Honey, Its not my business but with somebody who doesn’t think you are good enough, then wants you back later, Its like Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez. On and off, wont work out. I hope it works out, but he might not truly love you as much as it hurts.
My friend went through a bitter divorce a year and a half ago. I try to be supportive but it is draining. She will cry on Facebook for someone to visit her because she is lonely. I will say I can’t come over today but I am free next week. I am married with two kids. She has no children. Then she gets annoyed at me for not dropping everything when she wants to hang out. I have known her for a long time. I want to be loyal and supportive but she never even asks how I am doing. I dont email or call her as much and am feeling guilty.
I don’t believe in the word needy. I feel like that term helps nobody and makes things worse.
I agree. And everyone has needs at different times. I had friends that hung out with me every weekend until they started dating, which I was also guilty of doing at 18 – and I missed my friends when I was with my boyfriend because I had so much fun with them. Human beings have needs. And that’s what family, friends and significant others normally do: they help each other. I’ve never understood this whole thing about “needy”; I find that the people who refer to others that way or being “clingy” are a bit odd: people who want to spend a lot of time on their own, or ironically in one case: a former friend who used the terms “clingy”/needy” (not to refer to me) had no problem asking me to pick up her grandchildren, whom I barely know, from school, asking me to come along on multiple appointments so I could watch her car or inadvertently making me a chaperone on a trip to a museum, after offering me a free ticket and making it appear like she was doing something nice for me. Yet, she failed to recognize my need to spend Thanksgiving with someone since my family is far away. That shows strong lack of humanity.
I believe we are living in an era of sociopath inhumane belief systems. what is needy? so i get kicked out of the house of a long term relationship of a male partner due to he got a younger woman. i move back home to the other state. this makes me needy. i am on social security and have worked hard all of my life and worked my through college. i am retired artist. all of the sudden i am needy because i can not afford $2000 a month rent. no one can help me and my best friend of 20 years kicks me out after i fall and i offer her 400 a month to stay there. so what is up with freaking needy? i am not needy. i am a 66 year old young female who finds it extremely difficult living with her son whom gets put under tight rules and regulations and gets reminded how great his dad is. i just want to live alone, no one with me and enjoy my company. this is not needy. what does the term needy mean? boundaries are good but there is a time and place for boundaries such as i placed on my alcoholic ex partner who dumped me for a 38 year old. boundaries. i was paying my bills and his. he was needy. i am tired of judgmental people and people who do not allow for humane life.
When your problems are “more important ” the others’ you’re needy. This isn’the a “woe is me” contest.
Exactly
So 6 months ago I broke up with my boyfriend. A particular group of friends that I have don’t like him. He lived with my family and I for a year and was a huge part of my life. Our relationship wasn’t bad at all except we would argue when he would get jealous or needy when it came to my time with other people. But this post is about my friends not my boyfriend. Basically that particular group of friends (2 people in particular) are very needy. One is an alcoholic and is very emotionally dependent on other people. We will call her Gina. I feel so bad saying this but she is soooo high maintenance. We are 22 but hanging out with her is like babysitting sometimes because she always has to be entertained. She can be mean and extremely selfish. She expects for me to be there for her whenever she has one of her “mental breakdown episodes” at least once a month or so. If I sound bitter it’s because I am. I’v been dealing with her for over a year and we have been friends since we were 7. She wasn’t always like this at all. She has caused such great stress and anxiety in me for the last year or so. And I’m just over it. My mom blames my issues with her for my relationship with my boyfriend not working out.
Now there is another girl. We will call her Sue. And the 3 of us usually hang out and do stuff. They are always asking me to do this or that with them. But I am very busy a lot because I have a lot of stuff going on with family and work. I also have bills to pay so I work a lot.
Lately, Sue has texted me saying “if your free you should hang out with Gina tomorrow. She knows your really busy but she just misses you” and when she tells me stuff like that it makes me so mad. Why is it my responsibility to make these people happy? And why is Sue telling me who and when I need to hang out with?? I’m just over it..but don’t want to hurt anyone. Im pretty sure when I’m not around sue and Gina talk about how “I’m not there for Gina” and “she’s just so busy all the time”
But what they don’t know and what I’m so afraid to tell them is that i’v been seeing my boyfriend again. We are falling in love all over again. He has his own place, an awesome dog, and we have been having a great time together. He makes me really happy. And we are taking it super slow. But they are going to flippppppp out. I don’t want to have to deal with their reactions. My other friends and family that know about him are happy for me. But they will be selfish and mad. Help?
Alexa – same thing happened to me. I had a group of needy selfish friends who could be fun sometimes but were usually just self-centered. Then I started dating a guy, they gossiped behind my back saying that I was spending too much time with him blah blah blah… I ended up dumping him because of a range of reasons but partly because of their negativity and pressure.
Anyway, a couple of months after we broke up, we bumped into each other and I actually started to cry because I realized how much I really liked him. Three years later we’re still together and have a nine month old. Those people who were my “friends” I hid my blossoming rekindling of a relationship with my now partner from them for a few months. When I finally told them (dreading the “he’s too old fo r you” and “he’s only after one thing sweetheart” and “this is a big mistake”) and also told them to keep their asdfghjkl opinions to themselves or they’d be the first to get dumped as friends by me! Well they couldn’t keep their mouths shut and one by one I dumped them. They are more miserable than ever, like a festering sore and I’m actually at the best point in my life. He’s a great partner and my best friend… if I’d listened to them I’d probably still be single and living in a mangy flat with their negativity infecting every area of my life.
Friends should never be allowed to infringe on relationships. You shouldn’t have to hide it! Says alot about how controlling some people are. Don’t let them do that to you – if Gina feels lonely then she can get a cat, go out or stop putting so much weight on you for support by expanding her social situation.
I have been “friends” with a girl for about a while now, but I knew I really didn’t want to be friends with her a while back. She won’t let me get out of it though. She constantly texts me multiple times a day, and gets mad if I don’t text her even though she leaves me on read constantly and ignores me to talk to someone else, which she even tells me about. The thing is, I don’t think she REALLY wants to talk to me. She ALWAYS talks about her amazing BFF, who I’m friends with too. She doesn’t just mention her a few times, her “BFF” is all she wants to talk about with me. I ask her how she is, etc, but she almost never asks me a question about myself. And frankly, she doesn’t seem to care about how anyone is except herself and maybe her BFF, but I don’t think she’s asking her about her life either tbh. She’s told me I’m one of her best friends, but I don’t seem to matter unless she wants a therapist. I’m sorry, but it makes me hate talking to her. And she constantly get mad at me for doing things that she does to me all the time (and trust me, they’re not worth getting mad about). How do I get out of this “friendship” without hurting feelings?
Hi, to be honest this friendship will drag you down so much if you continue it. I’m sure it’s already been making you feel stressed out. But my advice to you would be to at first create a little distance. I don’t know how old you are but if you have a job use that as an excuse! If not, than do something productive for yourself other than worrying about your friend and what she thinks. If you are busy doing other things that is always a good way to distance yourself from toxic people (I myself do this with a couple of my friends)
It sounds like your “friend” has a lot of growing up to do and right now she is very self centered. I’m so sorry your going through this!! It is really hard to distance yourself from people without hurting their feelings. But at the end of the day you have to do what is best for you. And you have to take care of yourself first. 🙂 It’s no fun hurting people’s feelings. I really struggle with that. But it seems like with the way she treats her “bffs” someone is going to hurt her feelings eventually. So don’t feel guilty about doing something that you know is best for you!
Good luck!! <3
Thanks! This really helped a lot. It really hit the last straw with her when she just constantly told me she needs to talk to her friend right now (who’s a great person) while I was right there talking to her!! Then why does she talk to me at all? Sorry, I sort of needed to rant. I feel sort of bad, but I know I can’t keep doing this when she only uses me. Thanks again for your kind words, I’ll definitely take your advice! I hope everything works out the way you want with your friends! 🙂
I know exactly how you feel. I have this friend who is constantly asking my advice about stuff but when I give it to her she says she needs a second opinion. It never use to bother me till she started asking for my advise about her son because she knows I have 2 kids with problems like his. Then she would sit there and argue with me saying that she had him tested and he’s not like them. But then the other day she was talking to someone else and they mentioned the same thing and she said she hadn’t had him tested and she thought he was just like my kids. She also stops talking to me and snubbing me when ever I say I’m to sick or to busy to hang with her. I must admit lately I have become more busy but only because I’m doing coarses to try and improve myself as a human and a mum. But it’s like she resents me for wanting to be a better person. She also calls me to tell me about her aches and pains and when I give her advise to go see a dr she ignores me. Yet she will get up me if she thinks I need to see a dr and don’t . It drives me mad as I don’t know what to do to make her happy but I do know having space will at least give me a brake. She is also the kind of person that gets really agro if you don’t stop what your doing to help her when she needs it.
You probably wont get out of this one without some kind of hurting- and it will most likely be on your end. Been there and sounds interestingly familiar. Anyhow, everything was about her and if it wasn’t about her, then it had better be or arranged to be in some way. Only if SHE wanted it to be about someone else- besides her BFF (it was a threeship, I call it), then it had to benefit her in some way or she was not interested. It took a few hard bumps in the friendship to figure this out.
After I had a rather fast series of not so happy happenings in my life… she hit the trails for funtimes with her new BFF. I decided to pull back and after I handled my situations, and I waited. Did she ever ask me how I was doing or even if I was alive? Not once. Apparently it was my job to initiate communication if there was any to be had, and if it was to her liking. She was very quick to drop me like a bad habit, then blame me for causing the breakup of our friendship and block me out of her life. Its not the first time she has done this. Does it bother me? You have no idea…
Healthy friendships have ebbs and flows. Real friends will ask how you are doing and try to communicate with you and it does not have to be every day. However, when a friend is only a friend only for their wants and needs alone, then you probably need to assess whether you want to continue. You can feel the friendship, or you can feel that its not a friendship.
Good luck to you, dear <3
Sorry I didn’t reply sooner! Thank you so much for sharing your story and advice! I’m so sorry for what you went through, and I’m glad you were able to get out of such a friendship. That’s very much what’s happening here, I don’t seem to matter unless she needs to use me for whatever it is. And she definitely doesn’t care about how I am. Thanks again for your advice! I wish you all the best. ?
I have had a very close friend for the last three years. She started seeing a guy that she was so enamored with, yet he abused her. Now that she broke it off with him, all she does is obsess over him with all the little details. She will call me in the middle of the night because she can’t sleep stressing over him, this has happened about a dozen times since they broke up! It is always the same routine, same sob story. The last time we talked, she hung up on me because I told her what her problem was, that she was obsessing over someone who doesn’t love her. Now she isn’t speaking to me at all.
This really stresses me out because I do like her a lot, and I do care. But I feel that this friendship is one sided! I seriously cannot take this any longer. I really hate to do this but I think I may have to end this friendship once and for all. There really doesn’t seem to be any hope of this behavior ever changing! This has been going on for the last 6 months.
Tell her to buy some big girl panties, and get over a worthless guy that was going to be nothing but lousy in the future. And say when she stops the pity party you would like to have her rejoin your association. Some people wallow in the dumbest stuff, anything over 3 mths is seriously wallowing and she needs a counselor for her deep self esteem issues.
I have a bff that won’t talk to me because I had plans with my boyfriend that she don’t like, saying he’s no good for me, and she wanted me to take her to see her sis in hospital but I already had plans that I had paid for and she feel like I lied to her and I’m not a friend because I wasn’t there for her. My trip was on a Saturday morning and she asked me that Friday and it was too late to cancel but she’s mad thinking I put him before her now I try talking to her thru texts and her comments are short and scarrcastic! And she’s got her family feeling like I’m not a friend also. What shall I do?
Yeah my family & friends didn’t make the choices I did decades ago and so are always having money problems. I did make good choices and have enough money to get by. They still don’t manage the money they do have & I’m always the one they call to bail them out.
It’s a rough kick. I’ve learned to say no to their request for money due to dumb choices – but my empathy won’t allow me to let them suffer, so I help when it comes to life necessities.
My neice recently called and said she couldn’t afford to pay her taxes and needed $3000. I know she went to several high $ concerts over the past year plus vacations – and I didn’t have $3000 laying around, so I said Uncle Sam will have to wait. She was mad! This made me sad, but I realize I can’t help her learn by constantly bailing her out.
I don’t know what to do about these constant demands for money – I’m 62 and would really like to retire in a couple years – the more I give, the longer I have to work at a really tough job.
So I’m working on learning to say No when it isn’t for basic needs. But then I’m finding that they have figured this out and use that as a reason.
My friends are worse than my family in this matter.
It’s tough – I have resorted to telling them that they only like me when I’m paying. And I’m going to try to stop paying!
Arrgh – needy friends!
Cat,
You handled tbe situation with your niece appropriately. Sometimes we have to learn the hard way. She needs to (if she hasn’t already done so) set up an installment arrangement with IRS.
I am sorry that your friends and family always expect you to pay. I have siblings who are finacially comfortable. A friend of mine acts like my siblings should give me money anytime my car breaks down, or for unseen household expenses. I told her that they aren’t responsible for me. They have money due to career choices, investments etc. We had the same opportunities in life and everyone’s lives aren’t equal.
You aren’t responsible for anyone but yourself and any minor children you have.
In the Bible, when a woman was anointing Jesus’ head with oil, disciples were upset saying they could have sold the oil and given the profits to the poor. Jesus told them that there will always be poor people.
” But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? 9For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. 10When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. 11For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. 12For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.”
Bottom line: You can’t help everyone.
Hi Cat,
I meant to add, in my last comment, that you can tell anyone asking you for money “I don’t have extra money.” or simply, “I don’t have money for that…”
Yoy aren’t saying that you have NO money, but implying your money is allotted toward your expenses.
People don’t understand that someone may appear to be flush with money but that person also has expenses.
Been there done that have the t-shirt and am sick of those not being mature enough to handle life. My goal this year was to not take the abuse anymore. Man have I been talked about, shunned, etc. When you stand up for yourself, boy it can be a lonely road. But somehow I don’t care anymore. I decided that I am worth it, and that since I couldn’t ever count on them when stuff in my own life occurred, then they weren’t worth the drama, grief, etc. Tough cookies is my mantra, my life has crumbled, but NO one stepped up to help, so I learned the lesson. I don’t even want to hear it. There is no win/win with some and cut ties isn’t as awful as I imagined. It was all about wellness for me. I constantly quote the saying what you’re not changing you’re choosing, and I am worth better because I put in the time and effort and make good choices. Most in my life were making horrible ones over and over and expected it to improve. Ah NO, that is insanity and if you can’t see that, well, I can’t help you. NO one can.
You sound like MY auntie! But don’t worry, I’m not a mooch. Everyone always asks her for money because she worked hard and didn’t have kids. It kind of bugs me. My own mother (her sister) just let’s her pay for everything! I one day brought it to my mother’s attention that maybe it’s rude to always expect her to pay for everything, and my mom laughed it off like it wasn’t a big deal. I always felt it was, though. How could it not be? It could just be a family dynamic where you’re made to “look after” the younger ones. Stand up for yourself and say NO! They’ll still love you, and it’ll be a good life lesson.
Needy friends seem to be a common theme for me. As an introvert, I enjoy my alone time so much that I find friendships exhausting. Because I’m an introvert, I’m a pretty good listener, and often attract people who want to talk about everything, yet have no time to listen to me. One friend, consistently talks over me any time I try to add to the conversation, so I end up having to raise my voice real loud to snap her out of her constant chatter. Even though I do this constantly, she still doesn’t get it. Lately, she’s been stopping over almost every night at dinner time and doesn’t leave while we are trying to eat. She tells my husband and I that ‘she’s bored’ and also brings her 2 year old who has constant temper tantrums and makes a mess every time he comes, which I have to clean up. I also am not a big talker on the phone and prefer texting and have made that clear to this woman, but she will consistently call me to ask me questions, because she doesn’t like texting. I’ve tried to cut the relationship off, but she still keeps coming around. The bottom line is, we have nothing in common. I love to read and am really into spirituality, while she hates reading and gets defensive whenever I talk about something I’ve read that I found interesting. I just stopped sharing with her because there was no point in it, plus, she’ll just run over me with her own interests. The sad part is, she’s my neighbor, so it’s hard to get away from her. I should know better. The last time I befriended a neighbor, she had me running errands for her all the time. While I don’t mind helping out sometimes, it’s usually never reciprocated.
Weird listening to you was like hearing or reading about myself rather. I’m exactly like you’re describing. I don’t like a lot of people around or drama. I hate the phone I’d rather text but not often I don’t like that much either. We’re our family just close and we’d rather keep to ourselves. It is hard when ppl want to be friends with you but they want more of you then you’d like to give. It is exhausting. I have a feeling your so much like me that you even have a hard time saying no or I can’t.. Ahhhh it’s frustrating….
I have been feeling really stressed out lately. My best friend, we have been best friends for years and years, is always wanting to call or google hangout call me, to talk to me. I moved away a while back so she misses me a lot. Not to complain or anything just to talk. I really feel like she is always asking me to google hangout her to chat but I don’t always have the time. I’m really stressed out and have been doing my best to say no, but I always promise to “hangout call her later” if i cannot do it then. I have little time on my hands and as much as I love her and she is a great friend, I really need to stop giving all my time to her. I feel bad and guilty if I were to lie, and it’s really causing me anxiety. She doesn’t mean it, but I feel as though she is being a little needy or over-protective. I don’t want to lose her as a friend, she is my only one! My other sort of friend (we are not as close but still chat.) She is always getting jealous and getting mad at me when I try to hang out with other friends thinking I am replacing her, even though I would never do that. She is really needy sometimes and I feel like she needs to understand “Everyone has his/her own agenda” because she clearly does not. I really really don’t want to lose her however, we have SOOOO many happy memories and always promised to stay “bffs for life” and I want to keep it that way. I’m just so overwhelmed. Please help.
Oops I meant that my kind-of friend is moving so if I lose this friend, I will be alone. I just really don’t want to hangout call her every night. I have a lot of things to do including schoolwork and I /wish she could understand. I really, really don’t want to let her down and I don’t know what i’d do without her. She also just recently got upset because I left a hangout call (getting kind of annoyed and sad because she muted herself for a long time as if I had done something wrong or maybe just personal) but then would not talk to me. When I messaged her younger brother asking if he knew why, he said “I think she’s mad. at you” so I asked why and he said “she says you know” I honestly did not know and it was DEFINATELY not the first time she had gotten mad over a little thing or lack of me responding. I was beginning to get stressed out and she continued texting me 55 TIMES and later saying “please plase dont reply please!!” and I was getting really mad and stressed. I ignored her and she continued texting. She tried to call and texted “fine ignore my calls. :((” I really didn’t want to be mean, but I COULD NOT talk to her. She finally said, hangout call me. So reluctantly, I did. I was nervous of if she was going to expect me to explain or something. I had already texted her telling her the truth “I was helping my little brother dye easter eggs and being with my family” or something like that, she still kept saying how I was being rude to not reply. In the call she sounded upset and said “why weren’t you answering.” and I explained. She said “im just really mad right now.” in like, a stressed voice. Then a minute or so later, said “im just kidding” and I was really, like REALLY upset, annoyed, and mad. I was silent for a while, and silently cried and tried not to let her hear. She mustve thought I was okay because I pretended to be happy but i’m still unhappy now. It really upset me. 🙁 I’m confused and idk what to do, once again please help. Thanks
Wow, first you have every right to feel that way. Your friend has been acting very childish and manipulative. Some people would even say that she’s borderline abusive and controlling. This is not acting like a friend.
I”m not good with confrontation but I found it gets easier with practice. You will feel better the more you do set boundaries with people like her who demand more than they should. The hard part is following up your words with action, but it’s the only way.
It happens that last night my friend crossed a boundary with me too. She would NOT stop talking obsessively about her unhealthy relationship that she cannot seem to end. I had to let her know I had reached my limit, so I did and eventually had to hang up on her like you with your friend. I did text her to tell her why and that I had asked twice for us to change the subject.
Sometimes friends are temporarily needing someone to listen, and sometimes they are not really a friend. Your friend does not act like a friend. She does not have your best interests at heart! Who would keep you from meeting your obligations and being with your family? A friend would not do those things. Nor would she jerk you around and give you the silent treatment, which was just manipulation to make you upset.
Something you said struck me “She is always getting jealous and getting mad at me when I try to hang out with other friends thinking I am replacing her, even though I would never do that.” First, you DO have other friends! A real friend would not try to make you feel bad about that. And you don[t have to tell her what you’re doing or post details anywhere.
You might try making a list of the qualities you want in a friend. Mark the top 5 qualities that are “must haves”. Then check and see how well your friend matches them. If she does not match all of the must haves and many of the others, you might want to take a friend-break.
I was very glad to have found this friendshipblog thread. I have a lot of friends but most are online, the ones I physically see are ALL needy. I don’t know why I am attracting needy people.
At the moment I cannot severe ties with any of them (for reasons I’m not writing to save reading time!)
Does anyone have good excuses for me please–
1. Friend A always wants to skype me. How do I get out of this? it’s my fault really, because I suggested skype to him so that he could save money.
2. Friend B likes to meet over coffee. After more than one year of agreeing to meet up for coffee (and listening to rants, complaints), I am really angry with myself. What is the best thing to say to Friend B?
3. Friend C thinks the world of me – cannot eat or sleep without talking to me, or emailing me, checks email a couple of times to see if I have replied, sends me e-cards (which I really hate) — is there any other way I can stop this without having to say “get lost” to him. I also feel there is emotional blackmail because when he cannot find me, he becomes stressed, disorientated, and then I find myself stepping up to quickly reply emails etc. I am also angry with myself about this.
I would appreciate suggestions on good “saying no and go away nicely” sentences.
Since then, I have “cut down” smiling at or talking to strangers for fear of picking up new needy friends. I have really learnt my lesson in this regard. But what do I do with these current needy friends.
thanks — from a foolish and angry (at herself) mouse
Sounds like you need to set some boundaries. I am a needy friend. I try my best to counteract my neediness by not reaching out every time there is something that goes wrong in my life and turn inward rather than outward. Also having a family and husband has made me less needy over time.
I had a friend recently break up with me. She didnt tell me why I just have to guess what went wrong for her.
I feel like with friends you are constantly making deals, example you call me about your problems and I’ll call you about my problems.
Your coffee friend probably thinks that coffee is your thing and likely thinks the relationship is going fine. if you dont set a boundary you will likely just get fed up and break up with her.
I say create some distance with these people, just enough for them to self reflect. Upon meeting with them again if they ask for coffee next week just say u know what I love our coffee dates but Life has changed and I dont have the kind of time I used to because Im making more time for myself these days.
With needy people the more you give the more they expect. I say either set some boundaries or you’ll risk getting so fed up that you just end the frienships altogether.
Your situation is not unusual in people who empathise with others..I am one of them and could write a book on the messess it has got me into!!
My advice is simple ..I hope. Tell each one..as nicely as you feel necessary ..about the others and the demands they are making on you ..especially your time!! It may be they get the message that way..if not you just have to bite the bullet..I have found out..there is no one else to do it!! Make it mater of fact and sound normal ..like you expect a good response from them!
Good Luck!!! You will need it.
I’m honestly a needy friend myself, and I’m not the type that acts out my want to my best friend. I keep it to myself, but it hurts me whenever I can’t say anything, or when I can’t stop feeling jealous over another friend.
As someone going over this, I think it would be nice to let them know about what boundaries you’d like to have. In a way, I prefer knowing than to keep on assuming. Even if it might hurt in the end, that what she may say may be disappointing, at least knowing what SHE is expecting would maybe (maybe) make me feel better.
Again, I’m not entirely sure. I hate my own neediness, but I don’t think we really mean any harm. We just want a friend, and I’m hoping your friend would end up wanting the same.
My best friend and I met about 15 or more years ago. She was always so nice and thoughtful and just a really fun, sweet and caring person throughout our teenage years. We are both in our early 20s now. She has always had a few mental hangups of which I am unsure about what they are exactly but she has always been slow to mature and understand things. Some sort of learning disabilities maybe. It has never ever bothered me and I have never thought anything of it my whole life!
A year ago she changed drastically. She started drinking a lot. currently I would consider her an alcoholic that still is able to keep in on the down low and under control. So its mild. She became so so weird about things and couldn’t stop talking about religion and all these things that are unknown. That is when it all stared.
She will get on these kicks where she “needs me right now” or “really needs me” and I have dropped everything several times (which was very stressful on my part) to get to her and I would just find her drunk with no apparent emergency other that she just wanted to talk…about the same things we have already gone over and over so many times.
When all of this started happening of course I contacted her parents and talked to them about it but it didn’t help. Her sister will txt me saying occasionally “she really needs you she won’t talk to us and says your the only person she will talk to” it is VERY stressful. I have tried talking to my friend about her drinking and it seems to be better a little bit lately.
Sometimes she will call over and over and over when I told her to not call me because I am at work. But that usually only happens when she is drunk. She is always texting me or calling out of the blue to see if I am busy or want to come over or if she can come over. I feel really trapped. I can’t just end our friendship. She does actually have real mental problems that can’t be helped I just don’t know what they are. She drives and is normal and functions in the world just fine except when it comes to money or reading comprehension stuff. I love her so much! And I just want to be happy. But when we hang out it feels like baby sitting because she acts so much younger than we are. I just took almost 2 weeks from hanging out with her and said that I was really busy and needed some time to myself. But she has some sort of attachment to me that she doesn’t have with anyone else. I don’t like hanging out with her one on one lately because it feels uncomfortable. She has said things to me before like “i really needed you and you weren’t there” “i was having a mental breakdown and i just really needed you” and it makes me feel really crappy because all the times I dropped everything to make sure she was ok. Her sister (whom I am also close with) is moving far away in a month and I feel like I’m really going to be stuck. Her sister and I have become friends and I can tell she doesn’t like it. I purposefully don’t hang out one on one with her sister because I know it will upset her but we have so much more in common.
Back to my friend, when I am hoping for a group get together instead of being one on one she always just wants it to be me and her and no one else. She really likes “girl time”
I really enjoy spending time with her sister and the other friends that surround us when she does actually approve of other people tagging along, but then I kind of feel like I cater to her needs a lot in social situations. I stoop down to her level pretty much. And i feel AWFULLLLL for saying this but in group settings and social stuff I have a lot more fun when she isn’t there. :((( And when I see other friends of ours hanging out one on one I can’t help but think that I wish I had that. It feels like all the people I have met through her that I really like I won’t ever get a real friendship with. Because if I did it would really upset her and make her jealous. Simply because I think she has a hard time following and relating to people. Also, when we were 8 we had the same problem but never through teenage years and now I am WAYYYY too old to be even thinking this way!! But its almost like she views me as “thats myyyyyy best friend” still to this day.
I am really at a loss….I don’t know what to do or how to handle her. I am HORRIBLE with confrontation. I have a really hard time saying no to her for some reason. I don’t want to quit the friendship because we have a huge history. But at the same time I am typing this up because I am supposed to hang out with her for a few hours tomorrow and I am not looking forward to it.
Its hard to leave because she doesn’t want me to and then will invite herself to whatever I am doing afterwards or something like that.
The minute I think things between us are getting better they almost get worse when something happens. Its so awkward now to hang out because I know she can tell I am pulling away.
It is because of her drinking and I will have to talk to her more deeply about it. But there isn’t much I can do until her parents finally decide its enough of a problem to actually force her to go somewhere and get help.
She looks almost completely different than she did a year ago. She has lost a ton of weight and her face and eyes look different.
Does anyone have any idea what the hell I am supposed to do or how I am supposed to keep living my life in fear of when she texts or calls. I love her a lot and I am just at such a loss. Thank you!!!
Sarah,
Your friend sounds co-dependent. Maybe you could speak with her parents about getting her some therapy. Or speak to her sister, and let her sister begin the conversation with her parents. I think you do need to step away from the friendship. It doesn’t mean you don’t care about her well-being. But you aren’t responsible for her happiness. It sounds like she emotionally manipulates people. She needs to gain self-confidence and she may need a therapist to help her. If she is an alcoholic ( you mentioned drinking), co-dependency is often a trait. I wish you the best.
When I read this, it makes me sometimes wonder if I am the needy friend or if its her. We go back over 20 calendar years, but maybe 15 actual years of actual friendship, broken up between months or years long blowouts . When we would get together, it was like a feeding frenzy of fun- always doing something or going somewhere and having a blast. Yet, we could never really engage in any kind of serious conversation, interpersonal feelings, or just “girl talk”…it would have to contain some kind of subject matter, like a class in school. Anyway, we are on our fourth fall out…and it always seems to be my fault, and it always seems to be in the winter season. So, what is happening now is that I am taking a prerequisite college course in a subject I am very weak and apologized to her ahead of time that I may not be able to do things on the weekends very much and she went on and on that she loved math and would help me. I started my class and ran into some other financial issues and didnt want to unload about and was getting through it- and neither of us are saying anything to the other. Three weeks later, I get a sms from her saying she didnt know what was going on with me , hoped i was doing well in school and let her know when i wanted to come out and play. So I responded “sure” and received a passive aggressive response that obviously I am isolating myself and to let her know when I am over whatever it was that I was mad that this time. So, I responded letting her know that I had some problems and what they were but didnt want to tell her all that because I need to get through it and commented it might have been nice to be able to say hi once in a while because it seemed she had no problems communicating with another friend on facebook, instead of receiving passive aggressive responses like that and guessed that I was just a fun friend to her. Then I was accused of being selfish and that I always have problems and she can talk to the other friend because they dont talk about their problems and they go and do fun things. Historically, if I would try to engage in a conversation to gain mutual understanding, it would turn into WW2.5, so this time I did not respond and have not spoken to her in approximately a week. This always keeps happening because it seems like I get the most “in trouble” is when I do not cater to her in some way. Everybody needs somebody to be able to talk to…and I am glad I have at least a couple, but this friend….when she does this…it really hurts. I am thinking of dropping her for good because this type of thing always seems to happen and I am the one who has to rebuild when the walls fall down. But in my heart, there is a type of bond I feel for her- almost like a sister….that I really do not hold for some of the others. At least, I am taking it better this time.
Just Me,
It’s been said that during a crisis is when you know who your true friends are. it does sound like this friend prefers a more superficial friendship. In reality, I would place her in the casual friendship category. It’s possible to maintain a friendship with her, but realize that she wants a “fun” friendship so never discuss anything personal with her. There is nothing wrong with having casual friendships, sometimes those are the spontaneous friends who are up for a concert or movie on the whim. It’s also understandable if you feel the friendship has petered out and you want to end it completely.
Thanks Dee
Ended….is pretty much how it ended up. It took 5 times to realize that it was just a one sided friendship just within the last twelve months…..whatever she wanted to discuss or talk about or do, and anybody else could go blow if she didn’t want it on her plate of the moment…
This is something I received via e-mail years ago. I refer to it sometines and feel better about friendships that have drifted apart. You may have read this before…it’s long…:
” Reason, Season, or Lifetime
People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you figure out which one it is,
you will know what to do for each person.
When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty;
to provide you with guidance and support;
to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.
Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.
Some people come into your life for a SEASON,
because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person,
and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.
— Unknown”
Yikes! Wow that’s crazy. Even a tier 1 bestfriend wouldn’t do that. She needs a hobby
Oh boy I have had only one freind get so needy and strange that it truly disturbed me. Started out with her contacting me and getting back in touch when we lived in different states. Then when I moved back to that state (but over an hour away) she expected to hang out ALL the time. I had graduate school to juggle with work and also other friends and to be honest, wasn’t wanting a “tier 1” bff situation like she seemed to. She started doing things like monitoring social media to try to figure out if I’d gone out and not invited her. If I didn’t want to commit to plans she’d lash out and say “bs I know your going to go out”. Started inviting herself to tag along with other friends she didn’t know who I wanted to see one on one. The clincher was when I returned from a vacation, and had just endured over 24 hours of flight delays and a car breakdown on my way home. She saw me post and called IMMEDIATELY. “Oh I see you are back what’s up”? I was still dealing with tow trucks and explained my rough trip. She still suggested we meet up later that day. When I explained I was drained and was going straight to bed once I got home, she started to yell at me and slam my character and tell me how selfish I was. At that point I said the freindship wasn’t working. She continued to try to contact me steadily for a month. Occasionally still does. That was at least 3 years ago.
Hello I’m having a problem and feel like I am the needy friend. I’m only 17 and I’ve had a lot go on in my life. I was a huge social butterfly a when I was little, and I had a lot of friends. However I became very ill and because my disease wasn’t visible no one believed me and I lost all of my friends. Not only because I became ‘the sick girl’ but because I avoided everyone about everything. I was literally dying and they’d call me a liar to my face.
I became friends with a girl who was emotionally abusive and physically abusive to me but I was in need of a friend. And I’d take anyone. She moved away recently and I’m happier now than ever and because my condition is better I’ve been trying to get in touch with other friends. One girl kept in contact with me but we are both very different.
She is very independent and I am now too but I am more silent. I don’t play sports and I don’t sleep around or drink or party. However she was my best friend before everything and I really want to fix my relationship with her.
However I feel like she doesn’t want to fix anything. I hate feeling like the needy friend but I find myself desperate for anyone. I don’t want to be the last person that called if she’s looking to hang out. I don’t want her to put off times.
Tonight she called at six and told me she’d pick me up to hang out at nine. And then she suddenly is seeing a movie with another friend. So she put off picking me up at eleven? I’m just sad and honestly the only friend I have is my dog. It’s not fun sitting at lunch alone either. She chooses to sit with people who always say mean things about people. Constantly judging. And I know she’s not always like that.
And I come from a small town. So. There isn’t a lot of new people coming in. I hope I at least make one good friend in college.
MacKenzie, I’m sorry to hear about your plight! It sounds like a really tough situation. I just wanted to speak up because I lost all my friends in my senior year of high school when Youth and Family Services removed me from my mother’s house; I moved to my dad’s home an hour away, which made it hard for any of my classmates to hang out. On top of that, my ‘best friend’ said she didn’t want to be friends anymore because I’d been too stressed lately!
Anyway, you said you hope you can meet at least one good friend in college, and I’m here to really support that hope! Despite having no friends by the end of my senior year in high school, I went into university, and my sophomore year roommate was one of the best friends I’ve ever had and undoubtedly will be a lifelong friend. I’ve even moved away for graduate school, and no less than a half-dozen of my college friends will be visiting me across the Atlantic. So, yeah, college can be an amazing opportunity!
That said, college may not work out on the friend front immediately (I was almost as friendless my freshman year of college as I was my senior year of high school), or not at all. But there’s always more opportunities. And when you are in college, do take advantage of the student services if you’re feeling lonely or depressed. They’re there to help!
I am going through I similar situation. I am a disabled 36f and I have severe pain and illness due to a stroke. I keep to myself. I don’t like dumping my problems on people. It’s been 15 years since I’ve tried to be a friend.
I met a lady 40f at a store, she admired my dog. She gave me her name and number, and I made her a Facebook friend. She started a new job by my house and I offered to take her once a week since it’s only a few miles away. It turned into me taking her for 2 or 3 hours to different stores. I also had to listen to all her problems. I listened and said very little about myself. I do not like talking about myself.
She started calling me, saying it was an emergency. It was always a problem that she just needed to talk about, not urgent. I started to be her counselor. I told her I was so sick I couldn’t talk on the phone. She said she hated texting and found it to be rude. So I Facebook messaged her. I limited my time with her to once a week.
Her life started getting more difficult. She started leaving me long voicemails. Over the holiday I left food at her door and wrote happy holiday. After that, my husband was injured in an accident and hospitalized for days.
While I was sitting with my injured husband in the hospital I didn’t have a phone. I didn’t care about my phone, I thought he would die. She texted me that she was scared and had a very bad day. When I didn’t text back in a few days she left me 3 nasty voicemails. She called me a liar, bad friend, and rude. I was in shock.
So, I called her after I got home. She didn’t ask about my husband, just talked about me lying about why I couldn’t spend more time with her. She said she was angry for months about me not being available. I took her to work and errand for 3 hours a week and it wasn’t enough. She wanted another person to dump her problems on. When I saw her next to take her to work, she criticized the things I did while driving and was passive aggressive.
I was nice, but I am keeping my distance and limiting my time I spend being around her. I will never understand why people feel better dumping their problems on people.
I understand what all of you are going through. It’s better to be alone or only a few good friends.
Oh and she was mad at me for leaving food that she considered unhealthy. She said it was a slap in the face. And I texted her happy new year and she said I was rude to text. I didn’t respect her boundaries.
This woman sounds extremely self-centered and needy. I wouldn’t want someone that toxic in my life. It doesn’t sound like she contributes anything positive to your life. That’s not a friend.
Hi – I’m having an increasing discpmfort level with my friend “A” of many years. She is obsessed with this guy who she’s having a long-distance relationship with, and I’ve begun to notice she barely asks me about my life, and every time when we are discussing my issues, she seems to be eager to get back to her stuff. A whole day can go by with not an inquiry into me. When I was breaking up with my (romantic) girlfriend recently and was having a real crisis, she still could not stay focused on my life for very long. I have always been a keen listener, eager and interested in my friends and their lives, but she has always been so self-centered. I love her dearly and don’t plan to just break up with her but lately I have been seting boundaries (we are long distance from each other, so the communication is all messaging) just so she won’t monopolize all my time, which she can and has done many times.
Thanks for reading! – Amy
Amy I’ve had a friend like this. We were friends a long time and recently went our seperate ways. When her life was crappy she was my right hand and when she got a boyfriend she was no where to be found. I was delusional about our friendship and if I’d looked at the relationship for what it really was we probably would still be civil. Truth is: what you see is what you get. She will apologize a million times and still keep doing it because it’s who she is. If I were you I wouldn’t be emotionally dependant on her at all. You will just time to time find yourself more hurt and disappointed. There’s a selfish characteristic in your friend that will not change. As unfair as that is and as painful as it maybe, it is what it is. Don’t make excuses for her
Thanks Kelli, I’ve seen my friend recently and we’re stl fine. I think she’s not the first friend that I’ve let take advantage of my patient ear. I still love her. But it’s kind if funny that she just had to be focused on herself. Like you say it is what it is. Thanks for writing!
Wow this sounds much like my dilemma with my buff of 25+ years . I used to love her like a sister talked her through her divorce her last boyfriend her business woes her kids issues on and on!! I just realized her friendship is a selfish one. When things are good with her I don’t hear from her we live 2hours from one another so it was phone calls for hours on end when she needed me now it’s barely text convos. I started to notice she has not made time to spend with me but has come to NY to hang out with other friends and potential boyfriends!!!When I told her how I felt she was so sorry and I’m sure she was BUT had not tried to put aside time for US unless it involves our kids but did ask if we would have her to our summer house she would love to join us this year!!! Neither I or my children are particularly interested in these plans because our kids don’t have too much in common anymore. Today she texts me how was my weekend.I answered really fun(long needed date weekend with the hubby) and then I added HBU. She never asked why my weekend was so fun but went on and on about work went to sports w her kids etc.. Then proceeded to tell me all about her sons college visits and all about that he’s still a HS junior (my daughter just chose her school she’s a senior) never asked about her once until I mentioned it and then she proceeded to ask about her schedule just so she will know what her son might have to take (he’s a percussionist she’s a vocalist) so they are both going into the music field.it was so frustrating that I answered her to my best of knowledge and stopped the convo .I noticed every time we speak I’m so annoyed and angered with her self absorbed convos that I’ve actually gotten snippy . This is not like me but I’m not interested much in our friendship we have nothing in common anymore . I don’t know how to deal with it we have been like sisters I even ended a friendship with a former mutual friend of ours that her her so bad that I stayed by her side (I noticed they are now reconciled on FB) . I don’t want to make a harsh decision I am her sons godmother .
Thanks for this post…Now please forive me but I need to vent. I met a family when our two year olds were in a playgroup together. They have one child and we now have 4 under the age of 7. They have been very clingy, and at first I didn’t want to continue the friendship (their son used to hit one of my sons and was very bossy). 3 years later, we’re still friends but I’m not sure how to set boundaries and am still not comfortable with the relationship. They depend on me a lot to babysit, I am stretched thin as it is. We are homeschooling and I work from home nights so our days are full. I get frustrated she doesn’t manage her errands so that she can get things done when her son is at school. I sometimes have to miss fieldtrips or group outings so that I can get home to watch her child. Their son is pretty bossy and I know it sounds mean, but he’s spoiled. He is rough (hits when he plays, held my son underwater, is pushy/handsy), doesn’t do things for himself, brags about toys he gets, and doesn’t like it if we have other kids over at the same time. He gets what he wants, and often, I feel like my boys are what he wants so his mom always wants to get together. His mom asks me what I’m getting the kids for christmas etc. so that she can get her son the same. Or what we’re doing for holidays, and now they are showing up the same places. I feel like that’s weird. And I know he will get the few things I get my children, we’re not well off, and then 20+ more things. She expresses that they want us to go on day or weekend trips with them because it’s not fun without friends, but we don’t do expensive outings often and when we do, we enjoy the time as a family and it’s harder when we involve them. I don’t want to send them away with their family because of the behavior I see when he’s here and I know our younger song will be left out. We have other friends who are easy to see and it works. I was hoping that when their child went to school, things would change but I feel like it’s gotten worse. I’m ready to end the friendship, but if we can comfortably see eachother maybe once a month, not a few times a week, and have the understanding that we are not co-vacationers, I think that we may be able to make it work. I feel bad, I know they mean well, but it’s too much. His mom is really nice and we’ve grown close, and the boys enjoy eachother, but the whole thing makes me uncomfortable. Thanks for this piece. I’m going to try saying no more, and if we need to cut loose, we will.
end the “friendship.” You do not “know” that these people mean well because you are not inside their heads. If, at 2, their son was a bully, there’s a reason and it lies with the parents.
TRUST YOUR GUT. If you feel uncomfortable, that is your gut instinct sounding of the alarm. Take time for yourself to learn more about your personal needs, requirements, and boundaries so that you can choose people whom you will allow into your inner circle based upon observation rather than needs/wants.
trust your intuition this is a controling friendship ”.make bounderies saying no i dont want to”no sorry it dasn,t suit me today.maybe some other time but that some other time can be when you want to .it is suffecating you and it dasnt feel right with your kids .xx myra you can do it ”
Thank you Liz and Myra. I’ve been saying no more often lately, and she was sensing something was wrong. I tried to explain that I needed a little space right now and wanted to keep in touch but just was not going to be up for so much for a while as we adjust with the new baby and get into new routines here. I haven’t heard from her since, so I think she may have taken it badly. While it’s not what I would have hoped for it’s ok with me because something had to change and if she can’t understand my need for some space right now, then maybe ending the friendship is best. Thanks for your responses and advice.
He tried to drown your son. Cut ties for your kids safety. Good luck
i am little stress i have a friend who is defendant personality disorder even little things in her everyday life she having difficulty to decide, she not like before,i still remember how she call me more than 10 times a day if she stress with another friend of her who dumped her, she dont have any idea why people avoiding her chating with me almost everyday just to say hi and report how her day is all about since she a friend i try to observed her attitude coz we been separated friend for about 6 years so everything she acting right now is new from me but slowly i notice she always make poor decision when it comes to guys she so clingy and so easy no one can stop her to get a boyfriend i always advice her to be hard to get and respect her self as i know her ex husband dump her and go with another woman i always gave advice and words of wisdom therefore i end up get pissed and tried and stressed she just listen but cannot apply and what worse its like every mistake she did are like she not in her self in 7 month she dated 4 guys 3 of them her while still courting. despite of all my advice she having hard time to apply it she take time to learn and understand thing a bit quirky we fight about a different guy she always introduce coz i dont trust her i also told her she so needy and desperate to get bf when she should learn to be independent she trying to change but too slow for her to understand i let her go in her life she coming back to me fail again and when i tell her the reason why and the effect of all that she did how people judge and look at her due to her stupid ness she get hurt she wanted only close the chapter and moved on agin without fully understand.what should i do i am tried as a friend. sometimes i almost want to tell her to go to Psychiatrist,
Please help me being her friend makes me tried buy i also love her
hello,
i am in big need of help. I have a friend, a young trans friend at that. Who seems to be having lots of self esteem along with a multiple identity disorder. They seem to be so dependent on me, that it is getting really tiring for me. They were abused as a child, and since they came out as trans, their catholic family has ostracized them. He also has anger issues, and i do not know what to do. It seems like they are relying on me soley for coddling and care and or to calm them down when they have a mental break down. We talk every single day, and sometimes i like to just have the weekends to myself. How do i let them know i want to have some time to myself without seeming like im abandoning them?
Claude,
You’re in a difficult bind. Can you research any support groups for trans youth that can be a support to your friend? That can help you unload the bulk of the drain. Also, can you have a heart-to-heart with your friends that you think it’s better for them to have a therapeutic relationship with a professional rather with you since you’re not equipped to deal with their particular problems effectively? Make sure you validate their feelings because people who have suffered abuse tend to have very fragile sense of worth and it can be come across/be interpreted automatically as a rejection. I would really push the idea of the support group and even take them there and make it clear that you’re there to support them to get the best help with the people who are best equipped to help them. And then tell your friend that you’re only available on said day/time due to your own emotional issues. You have needs too.
In my experience, there are some people who are clingy, but sometimes you need to watch out for the needy ones, particularly those who are manipulative or use guilt or seem to have self esteem issues under the radar.
I’ve noticed that sometimes these needy friends actually might hate you, and often say mean or underhanded things to you about their other friends, but at the same time cannot live without them and make things look great on the surface (social media). Often, they are a loaded gun, waiting for reasons to hate you, and sometimes manipulating them out of you. It’s a lose lose situation.
my room plotting. I could really use some advice because he is really smart and can tell when I’m against him. I will stay near by to answer questions and reply if anyone wants to lend some advice. He’s a Taurus I think if that helps. Any advice helps
He may be able to tell because he’s actually looking for reasons to hate you or already does. Does that sound like a possibility? I’m also a Taurus but generally have friends of equal neediness/independence level or find myself running from someone I see as needy. Do you have more details on your situation?
Ok so here goes nothing, I was considering typing anything here for fear that I’m just being stupid. I’ve been business partners with a guy for about 3 years now. We first met when I was new to the business and he decided to offer me advice for a small consulting fee. I didn’t mind because he was teaching so much. I had noticed in our business partnership that he felt I was a friend also. He gave me life advice as well as business advice. Now I’ve always had a dysfunctional home life with an abusive crazy stalker father and a passive docile child abused mother. So him helping me out with my non existent love life and many internal issues such as trusting and developing real HEALTHY bonds with people including my family was needed. The more our partnership went on the more he felt he needed to be involved in every aspect of my life outside of the business. He even stopped charging me the fee. I admit, I put way too much of my life into his. I disclosed personal information but at this point (2yr mark) I had really grown to trust him. When I didn’t have money to eat and my family refused to help me because of my profession he sent me food. He has been there for me. Fast forward a bit the the third year, I’m going through extreme personal problems with my place of residence and a stalker so I needed to leave my place. He suggested I come stay with him. I felt reluctant of course. He really had to “lay out all the benefits” because I was in a bad situation but I knew I could be jumping into a worse situation. I did not go with my first mind. I left my home and went to stay with him. The problem I’m having with this friendship is that this is becoming painfully obvious that I either hate him or we were never good friend to begin with. It’s hard to go into detail about Every little thing he does, but it basically seems like if I don’t reciprocate all the things he done for me then we have these blow up arguments about me being childish, not knowing how to have a real relationship, or me just plain old being wrong. I’m always wrong when we talk, never fails, no matter what I say. I’m usually the one coming to him after an argument to try and mend things. Ive gotten to the point where I don’t even want to resolve anything. I just want to get away from him.
Let’s not go into all of the other reasons I am now questioning all of his motives: him not wanting me to communicate with my family! Him constantly trying to “teach” me something when it’s really just his opinion on the matter, not fact! And not letting me have my own mind or opinions. No one is right but him! No one is as smart as him but God. I really think that’s how he feels. He told me once that “not everyone can teach” and he was TAUGHT the Bible so basically he’s all knowing. His arrogance and lack of consideration is literally making me feel stifled. It’s like he wants to be God in my life. Like whenever I need I come to him which is absolutely unhealthy for him and I. He had a problem with how I treated him while staying here saying that I treat him like a roommate……. IS THAT NOT WHAT TWO FRIENDS LIVING TOGETHER ARE??? ROOMMATES! I told my mother about it and she had this to say, “he wants more from you that you are not willing to give. He wants to mold you into his perfect little wife that he MADE”. I forgot to mention I’m 25 and he’s at 50 or over. I know he lies when he says 40 something. I look at him as a friend and mentor. Nothing more. I’ve been wondering why things have been so bad lately, he increasingly asking for more. Not sexually but like he wants me to treat him differently but I treat him like a friend. He makes me think I’m doing something wrong all the time and I’m done, I’m drained, I’ve even starting cutting myself because he won’t leave me alone. If I don’t want to talk about something he badgers me until I give in and talk about it. I can’t have any time to myself. I know I’m rambling but I’m about to visit my mother in another state for about a week to see my newborn brother and he even was upset about me doing that. I’m just immensely sad and all alone. No friends no family in a brand new state. I feel trapped. One last thing: I’m a smoker (weed) so I decided a couple of months ago I would quit because I just started school. Guess what…a man who was 20 years sober from a drinking/pill addiction now tells me to not quit and he will get it for me. What friend doesn’t want another friend to get rid of their drug addiction. He also blamed me for him now smoking because I’ve made him so upset lately he can’t even eat. Smh ugh. I go through this everyday. how does one who’s been sober and sponsoring other ppl for 20+ years all of a sudden start back on because of a person then have the audacity to blame that person. I just stay in my room plotting. I could really use some advice because he is really smart and can tell when I’m against him. I will stay near by to answer questions and reply if anyone wants to lend some advice. He’s a Taurus I think if that helps. Any advice helps
Hi Pat,
I’m sorry about your situation, it must be really tough. I’m 24 and I may not be going through what you are dealing with but I can relate on feeling lonely with no friends for years and family that are out of state. It sounds like your friendship with this guy totally went sour and unhealthy. It seems like he’s way too needy and info greedy and wants to be too close for comfort with you and your personal life.
While you’re away at your moms, I think it may be a good opportunity to figure out plan to move out of his place. You could go to a library if you need time to yourself and think. You could even go to a park or coffee shop. No one has the right to tell you how to live every aspect of your life especially if he’s not even your father. You should be more than welcome to see your mom and brother even if you had issues with her. There’s nothing wrong with family and forgiveness being your priority if that’s apart of what’s going on. And in the meantime perhaps you can find a new roommate, maybe even stay with your mother to help you get back up on your feet.
To give him the benefit of the doubt maybe you make better friends than roommates and you may just need space from each other.
As far as the smoking situation, it seems like he’s taking his issues maybe even emotional baggage out on you to justify his own bad choices. That’s not your fault of course! Let him be and do you!
If you feel safe, you may need to have a little talk with him and tell him that this is not working for you and you could say you’re ready to be on your own and move out even if you’re not ready. You don’t have to get into details because it sounds like he’ll just talk you out of it.
The way you describe him also sounds like he has a way with words judging by how you say he’s smart and him “laying out the benefits”. Make sure you don’t get soft and stick to what you really want to do and follow your heart. You are a grown woman.
Also meditation and yoga helps me deal with issues and may help you as well. A pet is always helpful for coping with being alone.
I really hope I was at least of some help. Good luck to you!
Thank you so much for your reply and advice Leslie. It’s good to hear from someone my age with experience in this situation. I’m with my mother, step father, and little brother now, and this is the happiest I’ve been in a couple of months (the amount of time I’ve been living with him). My parents are COMPLETELY AGAINST me going back. They offered me staying with them rent free till I get back on my feet. My mother was heartbroken when I came, so much she started having complications with her heart condition (stress related. .. moms right?) But she had good reason to be worried.
He’s now upset with me and has stopped working on our business. Mostly because I am not speaking much with him since I’ve been here and don’t plan to. He only ask what I’m talking about with my parents, never anything “friend-like”. I’m learning more and more to have things for myself outside of ANY relationship I have. My parents have decided to help me move my things next weekend.
I needed this confirmation. For so long I only had HIS opinion. I know this isn’t healthy. I also realized my binge drinking and smoking while there with him has possibly given me gall stones. I go back in soon for the results. I wasn’t able to eat at all, nausea everytime I smelled food and had dropped 15 lbs. Luckily my mom noticed…I’m not surprised though…moms always know what’s best or at least care enough to notice.
It’s funny you say get a pet because he says I should never get a pet unless I have an unlimited amount of money to pay vet bills (sounds impossible for anyone to have a pet then right?). No worries though, I realize now slot of things he said we’re utter rubbish. I’ve even started back working out…I just feel like myself a little more each day.
Thank you again so much for confirming everything I was thinking, especially looking from the outside. It shows how this friendship may be toxic with us living together. I’m glad you went through what you went through, otherwise I wouldn’t know what I know now. Thank you again Leslie. I was waiting by my phone for someone who could help. Lol
Thank you so much for your reply and advice Leslie. It’s good to hear from someone my age with experience in this situation. I’m with my mother, step father, and little brother now, and this is the happiest I’ve been in a couple of months (the amount of time I’ve been living with him). My parents are COMPLETELY AGAINST me going back. They offered me staying with them rent free till I get back on my feet. My mother was heartbroken when I came, so much she started having complications with her heart condition (stress related. .. moms right?) But she had good reason to be worried. She knew something was wrong because I hadn’t talked to her in so long.
He’s now upset with me and has stopped working on our business. Mostly because I am not speaking much with him since I’ve been here and don’t plan to. He only ask what I’m talking about with my parents, never anything “friend-like”. I’m learning more and more to have things for myself outside of ANY relationship I have. My parents have decided to help me move my things next weekend.
I needed this confirmation. For so long I only had HIS opinion. I know this isn’t healthy. I also realized my binge drinking and smoking while there with him has possibly given me gall stones. I go back in soon for the results. I wasn’t able to eat at all, nausea everytime I smelled food and had dropped 15 lbs. Luckily my mom noticed…I’m not surprised though…moms always know what’s best or at least care enough to notice.
It’s funny you say get a pet because he says I should never get a pet unless I have an unlimited amount of money to pay vet bills (sounds impossible for anyone to have a pet then right?). No worries though, I realize now slot of things he said we’re utter rubbish. I’ve even started back working out…I just feel like myself a little more each day.
Thank you again so much for confirming everything I was thinking, especially looking from the outside. It shows how this friendship may be toxic with us living together. I’m glad you went through what you went through, otherwise I wouldn’t know what I know now. Thank you again Leslie. I was waiting by my phone for someone who could help. Lol
hi Pat, please ignore my reply to your short comment. I read your post and have a better understanding. Your situation sounds strikingly similar to one I had, minus the cohabiting, with a same-sex friend I had. It felt like the it was ages until I could make the break. I just stopped taking calls, stopped interacting cold turkey with no explanation. I don’t believe an explanation is necessary in all cases. If you felt like you were never that good of friends, but were just manipulated into a situation by someone who thought you were closer than you were, trust your gut. It sounds like your family wants what’s best for you. I was plagued by guilt, and asked myself if I was doing something wrong for a long time until I realized what this was driving to. Preserving any friendship isn’t worth mental anguish or even confusion. Friendship should feel good, light, reciprocal. Some people like to lure others with hidden motives covered up as generosity. It sounds like you, like me, eventually wondered how you even ended up in this situation and like the other party tricked you into a relationship when there was none. I’ve grown immensely from this experience and can confidently say I’ll never end up in this situation again. My radar is spot on. Usually these people have a deep-seated hatred of others and need for control. It sounds like your family is supportive of you. Tell them what’s going on, and you can feel free to share here. Freedom will feel really good on the other end.
He sounds like a classic narcissist, and you sound like you may have borderline personality disorder. Narcissists and people with BPD are like peanut butter and jelly, it’s a bad combo. I would sever ties from this toxic situation, and get some help for yourself from a professional. I hope things get better for you, Pat.