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Feeling betrayed by best friends

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  • #218649
    Julie
    Participant

    I don’t usually do this, however, it would be useful to gain some advice from an outside perspective besides my therapist.

    Okay so, before I talk about the main issue, I am currently on Lexapro. I’ve been on it for about 4-5 months now. I suffer from bipolar disorder and anxiety. Two weeks ago I started forgetting to take my pills and when that happens it throws off my emotional stability. I tend to get very emotional, angry, depressed, etc.

    I have two best friends (one male, one female). I’ve known the female one for about two years now and the male one for a year now. Long story short, I fell in love with my male best friend. It’s been a roller coaster the past months between him and I and trying to control our emotions for one another. Either we argue out of jealousy or go on frequent breaks of not speaking to each other. I really love him as a person and I want him in my life but I can’t handle it anymore because he doesn’t feel the same for me anymore. He’s an Aries and had the ability to detach from me, unlike myself (a Gemini), I’m having a really hard time.

    Since last Monday, my mood swings have been really bad due to the absence of taking my pills. I decided to end our friendship for good last Thursday because I got jealous over a girl. I couldn’t handle pretending or burying my emotions anymore. That weekend, I turned my phone off and remained silent on everyone. Spent time with my family and most importantly, myself. On Sunday, I decided to turn my phone back on and reach out to my close friends letting them know I needed to be alone. My female best friend was pissed because she was worried and felt as though me disappearing became a burden rather than me not disappearing. My reason for disappearing was because I actually didn’t want to be a burden on anyone. I wanted to be alone and figure out what I was feeling and why.

    She got over it Sunday night, told me to not do that again and proceeded about her bday weekend (this weekend coming up). I texted her asking her what she was doing, if she could come to my house later. She disregarded my text and kept talking about her bday and mentioning my male best friend’s name. (Now rewind .. i introduced my female best friend to my other set of friends including my male best friend. They all loved her and she started becoming apart of our group.) I then asked her if she would be okay with me not attending her birthday weekend because I’m not in the right state of mind and also because I didn’t want to be around my male best friend being that I have strong feelings for him and ended our friendship last Thursday. She got pissed and wrote “do what is best for you.” I started having a mental breakdown, explaining myself to her and saw she posted on instagram bragging about her bday weekend and how my male best friend is helping her get excited.

    My issue here is, I introduced my female best friend to my male best friend and the rest of my other friends who are now her friends. I feel betrayed that she would brush me off because of my mental illness. I feel hurt that she isn’t being understanding of my well being yet is being self-centered because her birthday is coming up. My therapist told me she agrees with my decision in not wanting to participate in my best friend’s birthday plans and she disagrees with my best friend’s response. I’m just very hurt, angry and resentful right now towards both best friends because I feel like they don’t care about me.

    #218667
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Julie:

    Reads to me that she was offended that you chose to not be accessible that weekend without telling her beforehand and therefore she was distressed when she couldn’t reach you. Later she was upset that you didn’t want to attend her birthday.

    You wrote, “I feel betrayed that she would brush me off because of my mental illness”. I think that it is not okay to shut off the phone without telling a best friend that you intend to do so. I think it is not okay whether you suffer from anxiety or not. After all, everyone is anxious at one point or another.

    anita

    #218669
    Julie
    Participant

    I understand. It was inconsiderate of me but I felt like no one would care to be honest. I don’t think it’s wrong of me not attending though. I don’t want her worrying about how I feel being around my male best friend. I want her to have a good time. Do you think me and her will ever rekindle from this? I texted her happy birthday today and she ignored me again.

    #218673
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Julie:

    “I felt like no one would care”. You now want to resume the friendship with her, so I figure you do feel now that she cared then? When we are anxious and distressed, what we feel is happening now, often does not indicate what is happening now. Better check our assumptions before we act on them as if they were true.

    Regarding not attending her birthday party, that is a serious decision, to not attend your best friend’s birthday party, one she was so excited about. You do risk a friendship making such a choice. Of course, you should take care of yourself first and not attend an event in which you will be miserable. On the other hand, it was a one per year event, just that birthday. Maybe you should have made that one exception. With this guy, it has been on and off. So one more “on” in a public setting such as a birthday party, could have been a reasonable sacrifice for you to make.

    anita

    #218677
    Julie
    Participant

    So you would end your friendship if your best friend didn’t attend it because she would feel uncomfortable? Wouldn’t that make you feel uncomfortable knowing she is? Despite everything you two have been through, you would end it because of a one time event?

    #218681
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Julie:

    Well, there are two events that you mentioned: shutting off your phone and not attending her birthday. There may have been other events. I know very little of the story. Usually in every relationship the two people contribute to the successes and the failures in the relationship. On your part I see impulsivity, the belief that what you feel indicate reality (it is called “emotional reasoning” in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, a category of distorted thinking. You may want to read about it). And I see a feeling of entitlement that you have  for having been diagnosed with anxiety and a bipolar disorder.

    anita

    #218683
    Julie
    Participant

    What do you think I should do? I feel like a bad friend now. She’s already ignoring me and I don’t want to push her.

    #218693
    Prash
    Participant

    Hi Julie,

    You made those decisions in the state of mind you were in at that time.

    Unless you talk to her you will not know what is on her mind. Could you give it some more time. Maybe your best friend is just hurting and probably has not even considered ending friendship as you seem to think.

     

    #218703
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Julie:

    You asked me what I think you should do. You mentioned that you are taking Lexapro and that in the last two weeks you’ve been forgetting to take it on time and that had a negative affect on you. I think you should see to it that you do take the drug as prescribed and on time. Arranged maybe for an alarm on your phone to ring every day at the time you need to take the medication.

    To know what to do, to think clearly and function better in relationships and otherwise, it is very important for you to be as calm as possible. Besides taking Lexapro on time exercise daily, yoga maybe, guided meditations, listen to calming music, engage in healthy activities for the purpose of relieving yourself from distress and keeping calm.

    I suggest that you put together a message to your friend. It is better than talking to her because typing a message online gives you the opportunity to delete, re-write, edit. If you are distressed you can get up, walk around, come back to the computer later. These things you can not do when talking to her. Address one or the two of the situations in the message, the birthday, let’s say. Tell her clearly and not at length your state of mind at the time you chose to not attend it. Then ask her how she felt, how she feels about it. You can tell her that you are doubting now that you did the right thing by not attending her birthday and you want her input on that.

    You can put together a message to her and place it right here, if you want my input on it when I am back to the computer in about fifteen hours.

    anita

    #218843
    Julie
    Participant

    Hi Prash and Anita,

     

    Thank you for your advice. I placed a same day delivery to her house of Happy Birthday balloons and a box of chocolate. Unfortunately, she didn’t receive it because the florist screwed up on the order. She will be receiving it today instead but we spoke briefly. Not about the situation because it was her birthday yesterday which is understandable. We pretty much swept it under the rug but I am aware that she is still upset and is taking space from me. I know in my heart things will be back to normal its just the waiting game right now. I will still not be attending her birthday weekend because I wouldn’t fit in her car amongst our other friends and they already booked their hotel. But we both understand the circumstances and are okay with it. Her and my other friends are upset I won’t be attending but it is what it is. I guess you can say this is my punishment on missing out on a good time.

    As for my Lexapro, I have noticed a major change in my attitude since yesterday. Being that I’ve been taking my meds now on time as prescribed, I am starting to feel back to normal and not a different person. Anita, I will keep in mind on meditating or doing other hobbies that will help tame my anxiety.

    Thank you again!!

    #218845
    Prash
    Participant

    Dear Julie,

    Nice to read from you about the progress.

    Very thoughtful of you to send those gifts. Happy to know that you and your friend are back to speaking again.

    Don’t be hard on yourself calling it a punishment. Maybe it is an opportunity for you to have a good time by yourself. 🙂

    Take care

Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)

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