What to do when you and your bestie are drifting apart

Natalie Asayag (our in-house mental health professional here at DiveThru) says “a boundary is a clear line or limit you draw with those in your life to maintain healthy relationships with the intent that you don’t feel overextended or taken advantage of.” It’s a valuable practice to protect your peace and respect …

After young adulthood, he says, the reasons that friends stop being friends are usually circumstantial—due to things outside of the relationship itself. One of the findings from Langan’s “friendship rules” study was that “adults feel the need to be more polite in their friendships,” she says.

1. Figure out what happened.
2. Plan a friend date.
3. Just go ahead and ask what’s going on.
4. Acknowledge your feelings, and realize it’s okay to be sad or confused.
5. Remember the good things about your friend.
6. Even if you and your friend break up, try to take the high road.

Here’re some ways you can handle a friendship that’s falling apart.

1. 1 Tell Your Friend You Miss Them.
2. 2 Ask Them What’s up between the Two of You.
3. 3 Give Them Some Space.
4. 4 Observe Them.
5. 5 Think Things through.
6. 6 Let Go.
7. 7 Leave the Door Open to the Friendship.

10 signs you and your best friend are drifting apart

1. It feels incredibly awkward when you hang out.
2. You’re *so* behind on what’s happening with one another.
3. You just don’t *get* one another anymore.
4. You haven’t seen your bestie in a while, but you don’t feel compelled to reach out.
5. Hanging out feels more like work than fun.
6. You no longer acknowledge special occasions.

Good friends handle conflict respectfully and respect boundaries. Sometimes you and your friend might disagree on something. A good friend will tell you if you’ve done something to hurt them. If you tell a good friend they’ve hurt you, they’ll be sorry and won’t do it again.

“To be able to know someone enough and to trust them enough to even allow them to support you through tough times is a sign of real friendships,” Rowney says. “The people who are in your life like that are about as close to family as you can get.”

In short, a bad friend is someone who is stressful or exhausting to be around. They may be: Overly competitive with you. Likely to encourage bad behaviors. Unreliable.

8 Signs A Friend Truly Cares About You

• They don’t need a reason to talk or hang out.
• You’re not the only one who starts conversations.
• They want to know how you are.
• You see relaxed body language.
• They’ve shown they’ll be there when you need a friend.
• They don’t like you despite your flaws, they like you and your flaws.
• You can be honest with them, and vice versa.

7 Signs Your Best Friend Thinks You’re Their Best Friend In The Whole World

1. She Tells You Everything, Big Or Small.
2. She Lets You Borrow Anything.
3. She Feels Like She’s Known You Forever.
4. She Genuinely Cares About How Your Day Is Going.
5. She Doesn’t Go Long Without Talking To You.
6. You’re The First To Know When She’s Upset.

Tessie Bear