CAREDefriended: How To Cope With A Friendship Breakdown

Just like relationships, sometimes friendships just don't work out - check out these tips to handle a friendship breakdown.

We know that relationship break ups can be painful, but sometimes losing a friend can be even more upsetting.

Unlike breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend, losing your closest friend can be a lonely experience. They are usually the one person you’d vent to! To help you out, here are some simple ways to make the end of a friendship a little less difficult.

Sort Out Your Socials

The temptation to head to social media to see what your former friend is up to can be hard to resist, but it’s important you do! You don’t need to block or unfriend your ex-bestie as you never know what the future might hold, but the unfollow button was invented for a reason. Take a break from scrolling through their feed, and keep them off your radar for a while. It’ll keep you sane and stop you from dwelling on the past.

Meet New People

Distraction is a great place to start when getting over a friendship. You don’t have to make a whole new group of friends, but it is a good idea to get to know other people that you might not have hung out with before. Take a class, join a sports team or reconnect with someone from primary school. It will take your mind off the situation and you’ll meet some great people in the process.

Find Something To Look Forward To

There’s no point sitting around the house waiting for someone to make plans with you. Make your own plans! Do something every day that makes you happy. It can be as simple as doing some exercise, getting a coffee, spending time with your family or walking your dog. Keeping busy will improve your self esteem and prevent you from ending up bored and isolated.

Accept It

Never say never, but chances are, you might never get to a point where you and your former friend can forgive each other and move on. While that can be hard to accept, trying to force closure or rebuild your friendship right now can be emotionally exhausting. It’s always better to move on and take care of yourself. Who knows what might happen in a few years? But you can’t spend your time waiting for it.

Sometimes friendships can be more trouble than they are worth, but you’ll always know when you have a true friend for life. They’re the ones that stick around no matter what.

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What’s your opinion? Have you been through a friendship breakdown and come out the other side?

Please share your thoughts, tips or suggestions below – if others can benefit from your opinion, it’s definitely worth it.