How to Deal With a Friend Who Has Changed: 15 Steps

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Licensed Social Worker

This article was co-authored by Klare Heston, LCSW. Klare Heston is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker based in Cleveland, Ohio. With experience in academic counseling and clinical supervision, Klare received her Master of Social Work from the Virginia Commonwealth University in 1983. She also holds a 2-Year Post-Graduate Certificate from the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland, as well as certification in Family Therapy, Supervision, Mediation, and Trauma Recovery and Treatment (EMDR). This article has been viewed 132,022 times.

Co-authors: 30

Updated: June 11, 2024

Views: 132,022

Article SummaryXIt’s normal for people to change, but if someone changes so much that it affects your relationship, you may need to talk to them about it. It’s best to take a direct approach, so ask your friend if anything is wrong. People change for many reasons, but they might also change if they’re going through something difficult. If you still want to be friends, tell them that you miss spending time with them. You might say something like, “I really liked spending time together, but lately you’ve been too busy.” If spending time one-on-one feels awkward, try hanging out in a group at first. However, if this friend has changed for the worse, or they make you feel bad about yourself, you may need to move on from the friendship. To avoid any awkwardness, slowly distance yourself from them. Just make excuses when they invite you out, and use that time to strengthen your other friendships. To learn how to help your friend going through a hard time, read on.

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