I might be losing a good friend!!

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EnglishJess
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24 May 2013, 5:51 am

Alright, so the other day, I got a bit annoyed at my friend on another site because he didn't reply right away and I was running out of time. So when he finally did, I asked him to make me feel better about it, and he wouldn't. He wouldn't the next day either.

I couldn't leave it alone, I wanted virtual comfort and sympathy, and so yesterday, I told him I was "Sorry I made him a heartless and unkind person like myself" simply because I thought he was being mean to me, because he's hurt me by refusing to heal the hurt he'd already caused, but refusing to satisfy my mental need.

But what I said offended him, and I said sorry loads of times, but he didn't reply and then I ran out of time and had to go. I sent him a PM asking him to reply, but he didn't reply!! I'm worried he won't show up today because he might be trying to avoid me, when I really need to settle this!! How can I fix our friendship if he won't let me by not being there or ignoring me??! ! :cry:



LookTwice
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24 May 2013, 9:08 am

Not sure I really get what happened, but if I did understand it right, you probably seemed very "clingy", emotionally attached, making demands, and that often puts people off if they're not feeling as close (yet).
I think your best course of action would be to _stop_ trying to fix it now and give him some space.


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Cilantro
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24 May 2013, 10:31 am

Your friends aren't responsible for your emotions and they're not supposed to be at your beck and call. They're there to supplement what you do to attend to your own needs when they have the time and energy, and they may be trying to keep up with online conversations while they're dealing with more pressing things like schoolwork, job stress, family stress, sickness, depression, lack of sleep, or any number of other things.



Last edited by Cilantro on 24 May 2013, 10:32 am, edited 1 time in total.

AardvarkGoodSwimmer
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24 May 2013, 10:32 am

Don't take a step backward, but more like a step to the side.



EnglishJess
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24 May 2013, 10:38 am

I admit I am clingy, it's true that I wanted him to help me feel better and when he wouldn;t, I felt like he was being mean. I just don't want to lose him after all the fun we've had and stuff :cry:



kouzoku
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24 May 2013, 11:21 am

It sounds like you might be passive aggressive.



kouzoku
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24 May 2013, 11:40 am

Cilantro wrote:
Your friends aren't responsible for your emotions and they're not supposed to be at your beck and call. They're there to supplement what you do to attend to your own needs when they have the time and energy, and they may be trying to keep up with online conversations while they're dealing with more pressing things like schoolwork, job stress, family stress, sickness, depression, lack of sleep, or any number of other things.


^This



Toy_Soldier
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24 May 2013, 12:24 pm

For a friendship or relationship to last and remain in good condition the two friends do have to be attentive to one another's needs. Its more so in relationships then just friendships, but even friends have to be aware and willing to understand your personality, or the friendship will not thrive.

I am familiar with clingy & emotionally needy tendencies. I have had them myself. But I do not think they are wrong or a mistake in all cases. It seems they are just unpopular and have been catagorized/stereotyped as always bad. If you find someone that understands and does help you out in those situations well then you may have a keeper. It is important to be self aware however and make sure you aren't overdoing it or doing it in a manipulative fashion. But it is ok to to be honest and express your needs when it is real.



AardvarkGoodSwimmer
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24 May 2013, 2:02 pm

And if you're on the spectrum, your friend may well be spectrum-lite or spectrum-friendly, and that's fine.

But if so, he might need some social things spelled out. For example, maybe just saying something like this to him: and hey, if I'm asking too many favors and treating you like an employee, just tell me, dude, you're treating me like an employee.

This, if it comes up. Maybe just invite him to the next event in the natural flow of things, and treat this whole misunderstanding just like a hiccup.



EnglishJess
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01 Jun 2013, 7:14 am

:cry: I just want him to make me feel better, he says I shouldn't rely on other people, but I know I won't be TRULY happy until he does. And every time I try to reason with him, he just ignores me and doesn't give me a chance. How can I get him to do what I want, because telling him I won't ask him again for a while afterwards and saying sorry lots clearly isn't working, but I can't allow myself to feel better until I know that he is willing to help me fell better in the way I want him to. :cry:



LadyBernkastel
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01 Jun 2013, 7:30 am

You cannot simply force him into doing as you please... Friends aren't there to meet your every command... You cannot change your friend and how he sees the world. You cannot change other people. All that you can choose is how you treat them and how what they do affects you. You have to get past the issues you cannot solve and focus on the ones you can. Give your friend some time and space to heal and stop trying to fix everything. This probably sounds harsh, and I'm sorry if it does, but I think you needed to hear this...


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EnglishJess
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01 Jun 2013, 9:51 am

But it cannot wait!! I've got tests coming up, and I doubt I'll feel motivated to be able to do well in them if I don't get made happy soon!! :cry:



LadyBernkastel
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01 Jun 2013, 10:51 am

Well... You will have to be patient... Get motivated by the things that surround you, like nature. You can be happy. You just have to let yourself be happy. Create happiness within the small things in life. :D


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LookTwice
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01 Jun 2013, 12:47 pm

EnglishJess wrote:
How can I get him to do what I want


I see you didn't follow my advice. I can only repeat myself - what you're doing is making it _worse_. You can't make him do anything, and the fact that you're trying is probably exactly what has created the rift between you in the first place. You're only making yourself miserable by not letting go of this now.


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EnglishJess
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02 Jun 2013, 7:39 am

That is true...l've already tried to make a deal with him that I will try to change myself and leave it alone, I just hope I'll get what I want eventually, so it will be worth it.



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02 Jun 2013, 10:51 am

What things do they do that make you happy?

It may be that your friend feels a bit burdened by the emotional needs and demands you're placing on him. Relationships (including friendships) are about reciprocation. He probably feels that he's giving too much for not enough return. He might have emotional needs too. But he is right, you can't rely on or even make people obliged to make you happy. Ideally should you be able to count on friends to be there when it counts (ie, when something bad is happening in your life)? By all means. But you can't expect them to be on speed dial 24/7 to sustain your mood whatever time of day or night. I don't think you're a selfish or taxing person, just someone who is emotionally much younger than their age.

You sound obsessed with him, which is ok, I can relate. When you're obsessed with somebody you want to hear from them a lot, and you get really anxious when you don't hear from them at the usual time each day. When you're obsessed with someone they really do become the centre of your emotional orbit. You place a lot of emotional importance on them, even at the exclusion of other friends. They can make you very happy when things are well or ruin your entire week when you have a simple falling out.
The two things I've learned is that a) I don't "need" people as much as I thought, and that b) I can't rely on them even when I do need them. Said lesson kinda killed the people obsessions dead in their tracks (well...for the most part).