People and circumstances are constantly changing. This often leads to a breakdown in relationships and friendships. According to psychologist Irene S. Levine, everyone has experienced a moment where a friend who was once close becomes a stranger. Coping with this can be hard. But if you know the sign that a friendship is over, you could do something to fix things up or at least you can better prepare yourself for the coming loss.
Signs a Friendship Is Over
You Constantly Have Awkward Conversation
When you can no longer hold a conversation with your friend, then this is a sign a friendship is coming to its end. Even if you do have something to talk about, it is often shallow and forced. The heart-to-heart discussions you used to have are in the past and you really don’t have much to talk about. This is a clear sign the friendship is headed south.
They Are Not Present During Important Milestones in Your Life
A good friend is like family. They take time to share your most important events – whether happy or sad. If a friend is no longer available during personal tragedies like death or divorce, or happy moments such as weddings and having a baby, then you are probably not going to be friends for much longer.
You Disagree With Your Friend’s Lifestyle Choices
As you get older, you take on more responsibility. You start to pay off your student loans, buy car insurance, pay for a mortgage or rent, and start fending for your family. With increasing responsibilities, you have to make lifestyle changes. You can no longer hang out with your buddy who is always going out, doing drugs and drinking until 4 a.m. If you find the habits of your friend disgusting, then this is one of the signs a friendship is over.
You Move to a New City or Country
While relocating might not always break up a friendship, it does tend to render most of your relationships irrelevant. This is especially so if you do not make obvious efforts to maintain the friendship.
You No Longer Hang Out
This is probably the biggest tell-tale sign of a fading friendship. You might notice a photo on Instagram that makes you realize you no longer hang out with them that much. In fact it’s been months since you last saw each other. Maybe you’ve probably gotten too busy or your schedules just collide. Whatever, neither of you go out of your way to make plans to hang out.
You Have Separate Groups of Friends
Friends usually grow apart when they have a separate group of friends. This could be as a result of your lives not as interesting as they used to. You will usually notice that your mutual friends are reducing and you two barely know each other's new friends.
Conversations Are Based on the Past
If you are always reminiscing about the past, then your friendship is on a downward spiral. The effortless conversations you used to have are gone and have turned into the awkwardness often experienced on a first date. The only thing you seem to have in common is a past. You haven’t the slightest clue on what to talk about except your past.
You Only Catch Up on Social Media
Nowadays it’s so much easier to keep in touch with your buddies. You simply need to log into any social media platform to catch up with an old pal whenever you’re bored in the toilet. If this is the only way you communicate with a friend, then it’s time to call it quits on that friendship. However, you can still choose to keep in touch if it works for the both of you.
You Don’t Have Fun Anymore
Have
you noticed that you no longer have as much fun as you used to? Or
whenever you hang out, you only talk about your careers and not much else.
These are signs a friendship is over.
You Argue Often
Are you often arguing with your friend over small things? While it is normal for friends to disagree and argue, there are limits. If you argue more than you connect, then there is a problem. One of you could be hurt or feeling wronged. You could choose to work it out or kill the friendship.
You Are the Only One Putting In Effort
If you are the only one who is constantly reaching out and making plans, then your friendship is as good as dead. Good friends will make an effort to reach out or make plans every now and then.
You Receive Formal Invitations to Their Events
If you were previously involved in the planning and executing of all their events and now you’re getting formal invitations, you could be drifting apart.
You Don’t Call Them When Something Exciting Happens
This is one of the definite signs a friendship is over. When something monumental happens in your life, you call your closest friends and let them know. If you no longer call some of your friends, then there is a chance the relationship is on the wane.
You No Longer Have Anything In Common
You go through a lot of changes in your mid-20’s to your early 30’s. You might move to a new city, pursue a career or interest, or get married. Such events change you a lot. You are not the same person you were in high school or college. You might find that you can no longer relate to the friends you used to hang out with in high school.
View All Comments /Add Comment