I previously wrote about The 22 Signs Of A Dying Friendship You Should Know and now, I want to tell you the 4 Tips On How To Stop Being Friends With Someone.
If you recognize some of these signs, you may wonder how to end the friendship with minimal drama.
Here are your main options to stop being friends with someone:
- Gradually reduce the amount of time you spend with your friend and withdraw contact until the friendship fades away. If you’d prefer to end the friendship without confrontation, this is usually the best solution.
- Have a “breakup conversation” or write a letter to formally end the friendship.
- Cut off your friend without explanation if they are abusive and make you feel unsafe.
You might need to combine these approaches. For example, if you distance yourself from your friend, but they don’t take the hint, a direct face-to-face conversation may be necessary. We have an article on how to end a friendship that contains in-depth advice on this topic.
4 Tips On How To Stop Being Friends With Someone:
Avoid using mutual friends as messengers.
Do not ask someone to tell your former friend that you want to dump them. Involving a third party makes drama and misunderstandings more likely. When you want to end a friendship with someone in your group, it’s usually best to do it alone.
Do not gossip about your ex-friend or spread rumors.
If someone asks you why you are no longer friends, keep your explanation brief, factual, and polite. Speaking badly about your ex-friend, even if they mistreated you, can make you come across as immature. If you have mutual friends, continue to see them as usual and allow them to decide whether they want to be friends with you, your ex-friend, both of you, or neither of you.
Be prepared for the fallout.
If you are ending a friendship with someone toxic, they may react badly, for example, by getting angry or spreading malicious gossip about you. Try to accept that you cannot control how your ex-friend will react. Depending on the situation, you may need to block them on social media or be prepared to walk away if they confront you in public. You may want to choose someone to confide in. Ideally, this should not be a mutual friend—try to avoid putting someone in a position where they feel they have to choose between you and your ex-friend.
Focus on making new friends. Ending a friendship can be upsetting, particularly if you have known your ex-friend for a long time or they were your best friend. Making an effort to meet new people and grow your social circle may help you move on.
Common questions
How long do average friendships last?
On average, we lose half the people in our social circle every 7 years. Although some friendships can last for decades, it’s more usual to make new friends during different stages of your life. For example, when you graduate college, you might make new friends at your first full-time job.
Do best friends last forever?
It’s possible for best friends to last for a lifetime, but it’s not the norm. Over time, your life circumstances will probably change, and this can affect your friendship. For example, if you don’t see each other very much, you may grow apart.
How many friends does the average person have?
The average person has 15 people they can call on for advice or sympathy in times of need, including 5 people in their close social circle. But these numbers can vary depending on several factors, including a person’s sex, with women tending to have slightly more contacts than men.
How many friends does the average person need?
It depends on personality type and preference; there is no universal rule. Research shows that extroverts usually have slightly larger social networks compared to introverts. However, most of us need some social interaction for good mental health, and friends can meet this need.
