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Friendships can be powerful things, but sometimes people's opinions about one another change. Whether from new life experiences, the passage of time, or any variety of other factors, sometimes people just don't want to be friends anymore. Sometimes that isn't very clear, and there are a variety of signs you can look for that should tell you that someone does not want to be friends anymore. If there is something wrong, you may try to fix it, or it might be best to end the friendship.

Part 1
Part 1 of 2:

Looking for Signs

  1. If your friend is regularly insulting or belittling you, or starting arguments over all kinds of things, they are not being a good friend. If your friend is doing this, confront them, and ask them to stop. If your friend doesn't, that is not a good sign.[1]
    • Types of insults can include teasing, sarcasm, and cynicism, comments that may sound like jokes, but are meant to hurt you.[2] Some insults are more subtle, like backhanded compliments (complimenting you for negative things) or guilt-tripping (where your friend blames you for their distresses and problems).[3] In many cases, your friend may try to pass these insults off as humor, and ridicule you for taking them personally.
    • It is possible that your friend doesn't know they are insulting you. If you are concerned, confront them. If your friend didn't know, they may apologize right away.
  2. If your friend doesn't like you, they probably aren't making much of an effort to stay in touch. This means not just talking, but emails, texting, or any other form of communication. If you and your friend aren't talking very much, it is hard to say that you are still really friends.[4]
    • This reduced communication can refer to frequency or length. You may not talk as often as you used to. Or, if you do talk, your conversations are now very short, and you find that you don't have much to talk about.
    • You can also see this if you are the one making an effort at communication. Friendship takes effort. If you are the only one trying to stay in touch, then your friend is probably not interested.
    • Ask yourself if it’s possible that your friend feels hurt by a fight or argument you had. They might distance themself from you because of this.
    • Reader Poll: We asked 914 wikiHow readers, and 57% of them agreed that the most likely reason your friend might distance themself after a fight is because they need time to cool off. [Take Poll]
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  3. Along with not talking much, chances are your friend won't have been keeping you up to date with changes in their life. Friendship takes effort, and you shouldn't learn new things about your friend only through other people or social media.[5]
  4. If you try to make plans, and your friend says they are too busy but is later out with other friends during that time, that would be a sign of rejection.
    • People change, have new interests, and new friends. If your friend appears to be doing other things with new people, then those new people probably fit in better with their new interests.
    • If your friend is not spending more time with others, but becoming withdrawn towards everyone, that could be a sign of more serious issues, like depression.[6] If this might be the case, gather others, and as a group encourage your friend to seek help.
  5. If your friendship is turning sour, your meetings will be tense, and you may feel anxious or uncomfortable in each other's presence. There may be a larger concern that you are not dealing with, or maybe you two have grown apart.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 2:

Finding Reasons for the Change

  1. Ask them about the things you have been noticing that suggest they don't like you. Be open and honest about your concerns. It may not solve all of them right away but may help you if your friend doesn't like you, or is angry about something in particular.
    • Be prepared to be conciliatory, especially if you think your friend is angry at something you may have done. Showing you are open to compromise and reconciliation encourages your friend to do the same.[7]
    • When discussing your concerns, it is better to use "I" Statements. Don't start your complaints with "You," (as in "You are...") which makes your opinion seem like a fact. Instead, lead with how you feel when your friend does something negative towards you ("I feel..."). After that, name your friend's behavior and why it makes you feel that way. This makes your statement less accusatory.
    • If you think you were in the wrong, but are not sure why it might be good to give an open-ended question. You want to allow them to talk, not give a simple answer to a direct question. Ask what is wrong, or what you did wrong.
    • Be sure to give your friend some space after apologizing or asking for a response. This can be a lot to process, and you shouldn't expect an answer right away.
    • In some cases, it can help to take a self-inventory. Don't be afraid to ask your friend for their radical honesty in how you can be a better friend.
  2. Life leads people in different directions, and those directions may not include you or your old friends. Your friend may have new interests, and new friends that share those interests more than you do.
  3. Don't get defensive. Learning a friend doesn't like you can create some negative emotions. While you don't want to suppress them too much, it is best to use them as an opportunity to think more about yourself. Try to figure out what you are feeling (anger, fear, humiliation), to figure out what you can do next.[8]
    • Ask yourself what you think your friend meant. People don't always know the impact of their words and actions. Bringing it to their attention can get an apology. Or, perhaps they did mean it as a personal insult, in which case you will want to think about how much you want to keep this friendship.
  4. Evaluate your friendship. You may have been (or became) a toxic friendship. These can be bad for your physical and mental wellbeing, and you should not be afraid to end it.[9] Is this person a true friend? If you have been growing apart, especially for some time, then your friendship has probably been ready to end.
    • Signs of a toxic friendship include: asking for advice, then belittling or ignoring it; dumping their issues on you without offering support for your problems; regularly picking fights or competing with you, and never being happy with your success.
    • In a true friendship, you and your friend will be supportive of one another, stay in regular contact, and be able to discuss disagreements respectfully and with some amicable resolution. True friendships take effort, and both of you need to be willing to put in the effort.[10]
  5. It does you no good to force someone to stay friends with you. That will likely only make things worse. It does not mean you failed, just that things have changed.[11]
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  • Question
    My friend and I used to be super close and talk and hang out all the time. Recently we haven't talked as much as we used to. I don't know what to do or say. Help?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    It depends on what you want to accomplish. Sometimes people just drift apart, so if you're okay with the friendship ending, you don't have to do anything. But if you miss her, tell her! Say something like, "I miss the way we used to hang out all the time. We should try harder to stay in touch." If she doesn't seem to be interested in being friends anymore, that's tough, but you'll have to accept it and move on.
  • Question
    My friend recently didn't sit with me in class. She ignores me when she's around her other two friends from another class. She feels jealous when I hang out with other friends instead. What should I do?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Talk to her; it may just be a misunderstanding. Maybe she feels restricted with one friend, so she's expanding her friend circle. The best option is to talk to her.
  • Question
    I did something to my best friend and now she will not talk to me. Does this mean that our friendship is over?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Try talking to her. Apologize and tell her that it won't happen again. Tell her that you really value your friendship with her and you hope she can forgive you. If she won't talk to you right now, you may have to wait a few days for her to calm down first.
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Tips

  • If the friendship is over, you may feel like crying. It's okay to let it out, not necessarily in front of your ex-friend though.
  • Avoid hard feelings between you and your friend. People change, sometimes friendships just don't work as well as they used to. Unless your friend did something particularly hurtful towards you, there is no reason to hold a grudge.
  • Keep an eye out for signs of depression or other troubles. If your friend is withdrawing from all others, they may be dealing with more serious issues.
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About This Article

Tracey Rogers, MA
Co-authored by:
Certified Life Coach
This article was co-authored by Tracey Rogers, MA. Tracey L. Rogers is a Certified Life Coach and Professional Astrologer based in Philadelphia. Tracey has over 10 years of life coaching and astrology experience. Her work has been featured on nationally syndicated radio, as well as online platforms such as Oprah.com. She is certified as a Coach by the Life Purpose Institute, and she has an MA in International Education from George Washington University. This article has been viewed 1,000,157 times.
69 votes - 76%
Co-authors: 51
Updated: December 12, 2024
Views: 1,000,157
Article SummaryX

Losing a friendship is tough, but it’s not uncommon for friends to drift apart over time. If you suspect your friend no longer likes you, pay attention to how they behave toward you. For instance, do you notice them starting a lot of arguments with you, blaming you for things, or putting you down? Those might be signs that the friendship is starting to sour. You might also notice them spending less time with you, not talking to you as often, or prioritizing other friendships. Before you jump to any conclusions, try talking to your friend about what’s going on. It’s possible that they’re just going through a rough time. Let them know how you’re feeling in an honest, non-judgmental way, and ask them what’s up. For tips on having a good discussion about your friendship, keep reading!

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