6 Signs That it's Time to Let Go of a Best Friend

Do you have a best friend? Real friendships are ones that make you feel happy, safe, and secure. True friends are so rare and special that when we do have them, we can’t help but wish it would last forever. Having good friends like this can be one of the greatest pleasures in life, so it can be devastating for us to lose our friends. Saying goodbye to best friends is heartbreaking, but trying to salvage a friendship that’s not meant to last does more harm than good. Do you suspect that you have toxic friends? Toxic friendships can be hard to spot, but hopefully this video can help you shed some light on how to end a friendship. Bad friends can be very toxic for your mental well being.

Writer: Michelle Gaston & Chloe Avanasa
Script Editor: Denise Ding & Kelly Soong
VO: Amanda Silvera
Animator: Grace Cárdenas Cano
YouTube Manager: Cindy Cheong
Special thanks to: Grant Vetters for Videography for Rollax

References:

Johnson, A. J., Wittenberg, E., Haigh, M., Wigley, S., Becker, J., Brown, K., & Craig, E. (2004). The Process of Relationship Development and Deterioration: Turning Points in Friendships That Have Terminated. Communication Quarterly, 52 (1), 54-67.
Oswald, D. L., & Clark, E. M. (2003). Best Friends Forever?: High School Best Friendships and the Transition to College. Personal Relationships, 10 (20), 187-196.
Collins, A., & van Dulmen, M. (2006). Friendships and Romance in Emerging Adulthood: Assessing the Distinctiveness in Close Relationships. Journal of Social Psychology, 24 (12), 205-216.
Finchum, T., & Weber, J. A. (2000). Applying Continuity Theory to Older Adult Friendships. The Psychology of Aging and Identity, 5 (3), 159-168.

[Psychgo]

Comment the name of your enemy below and we shall slay them for you. =)

[tjarkneubrandt]

The worst feeling is seeing how your best friend slowly gets another best friend and stops caring about you.

[allieserignet]

Who else is crying over the fact that you need to let go of your bestfriend who doesn’t really care.

[glenfenderman]

I just ended a friendship with a person who turned out to be a toxic, narcissistic, guilt tripping, manipulative bigmouth. I feel a lot more free now.

[cezarblack]

Sometimes people grow apart and it’s hard to let go but we have to to keep moving forward

[mhmtasty]

"Sometimes you miss the memories; not the person..."

-Anonymous

[KL-xsqq]

The fact that this appeared in my recommendations is a sign on its own.

[mmcs]

Very timely. I just acknowledged to a "best" friend of 35 years that I was carrying the burden of single-handedly trying to maintain the friendship, but no more. A short letter, only best wishes, inside a lovely card, and I felt very sad, but relieved, to finally articulate what needed to be said. 🙁

[alexwatterson]

I once had a really close best friend, but like this video, I had to let her go. We had become distant and when we did talk, it was fights. It was still hard though.

To whoever needs to hear it, it’s all right to let go of that friend. It may hurt at first, but it’s better than constant pain from trying to keep it together

[nixystixx]

The saddest part of life is when the person that gave you the best memories becomes a memory.

[kathleen]

Not friends, not enemies, just strangers with memories.

[taphyisj]

My best friend, who I only met 4 years ago when we were both 9, and I hit off really well instantly. We were never more than friends, but we were really close, and we both really enjoyed each other's company. But recently, she just randomly became distant, and it's gotten to the point of coldness. This video made me overwhelmingly sad, but also allowed me to consider the situation deeper. I also write songs, and I have A LOT, but I've been feeling held back, but after watching this video, I am able to write about it in song form. It feels good, but also really really sad.

[Lovely_Layla]

I stopped talking to my best friend of 10 years 1 year ago and this is kind of helping me let go. Ty for helping me feel a bit better!

[somethingtwice]

the biggest sign is that you're thinking of someone while watching this video,




and that's what really sucks.

[Naekko]

broken friendship hurts more than relationships break up.

[kyram]

I love the objective advice. Sometimes people grow apart and it’s hard to let go but we have to to keep moving forward

[etlimenemen]

what's worse is finding out how much of a narcist that person is. When you're ignorant about narcissism it will take years until you realize their true character and what they really think and feel about you. my advice to everyone out there is to really understand what makes a narcissist and think carefully about that person.

[lampy]

Summary:
1. You’re second guessing your friendship
2. You don’t communicate anymore
3. You want different things
4. You’ve found other friends
5. They’ve broken your trust
6. You’re the only one holding on

[karenglenn]

I let go of my bestie of 42 years in February. We had been through so much together and were always there for each other. My dad died last December and she couldn’t be bothered to come and see me, and my son reminded me that it had been over 4 years since she had visited me. It was always me going to her, I’m slightly disabled and it’s a bit of a drive. She had surgery to remove large benign cysts from her ovaries and I took my own shower chair for her to use at home and went to stay for a week to help look after her through the day. This was last June 2022, and I have a carer myself. I sent her a message telling her that I didn’t want her to contact me anymore. And it hurt to do that. We had been besties for 2/3 of my life, her kids are family to us. But she just didn’t want to bother and to be there for me as I was for her last year. So that’s it. Never had the decency to return my shower chair either, I had to get another. Said all I needed to know about her. Her oldest and dearest friend she called me, what a joke. Bye Jan.

[wengbalaba]

Losing a romantic partner is too painful. But losing a partner and a bestfriend altogether is on another level of pain. You don't just feel twice as broken, you feel like your heart is shattered into a million pieces and there's just no way of putting it back together. What's worse is the post-breakup period. You feel so lost and it seems that the more you exerted an effort to forget, the more it seems that the world is brushing it to your face.💔🖤