Katharina Buczek
Most of us view our friends as our confidants, the people we can lean on and vent to when times get tough without any fear of judgment or criticism. But unfortunately, not all friendships operate with such unconditional understanding.
Have you ever had a friend who constantly downplayed your problems or compared your situations instead of just being there for you?
This 27-year-old woman has had the same issue with her best friend, Lily, for ages, and the other day, she finally called Lily out on it.
To provide some context, she and Lily, who’s also 27, have been close ever since they were in high school.
“We’ve been through a lot together, but lately, it’s felt like everything is a competition,” she said.
For instance, she recently lost her job, and over the past few months, she’s been having a hard time trying to make ends meet. That’s why she decided to confide in Lily and hoped her best friend would give her some support.
Instead, all Lily said was that “everyone” was struggling. Then Lily began going on about how stressful her own job was. She even got told that she didn’t know how “lucky” she was not to be working.
“I felt crushed. Every time I share something vulnerable, she either dismisses it or somehow makes it about her,” she recalled.
And just last week, her best friend did the very same thing again. She had tried telling Lily how anxious she was about finding a new job.
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
