Valid Reasons for Ending a Friendship

Everyone would like to believe a friendship could last forever. But is this really realistic? People change over the years, and some of those changes just may be hazardous to your health and well-being. Let's take a look at some really good reasons why you may want to end a friendship.

Addictions-

Although people would like to think if their friend started to use drugs, became an alcoholic, or had any other type of serious addiction they would like to stick around and help them through it, that's probably a very unrealistic expectation for anyone. Most people who have serious addictions, don't want help. If they did, they would have already gotten it, with or without your help. Right now you may be thinking it wouldn't be right to abandon your friend in need, but no make mistake about it, while their addiction is active, they will bring you down. No one is saying you can't pick up the friendship after they have gotten the help they need and are clean and sober. This is truly the only time they can be a real friend that won't end up hurting you. Always remember the only friend an addict has, is their drug of choice.

Sexual Advances Toward your Spouse-

This happens more than you can imagine. In a situation like this you have to make a decision if your friendship, or marital relationship is more important. Oh, you can try talking to your friend, but chances are it will happen again. Try and remember that so called friends that would do this in the first place have a serious problem with their morals, values and most definitely boundaries. All that can't be solved with a friendly chat. Yes, my advice, drop the friend as quickly as possible before it seriously affects your marriage.

Always Letting you down-

Friends are suppose to be those people we can't count on through thick and thin. However, if your friend seems to be always letting you down when you need them the most, it's time to rethink the friendship altogether. This type of friend has the bad habit of calling at the last minute to cancel the plans you made together. There is always one excuse after the other. Funny though when it's something that's really important to them, they seem to keep the plans just fine. There's no reason you should be putting yourself through the emotional turmoil of being let down all the time. This really hurts!

Your Friend is a User-

These are one of the worst types of friends you cna have. All your good for is what they need at any given moment. Whether it be money, favors, your time, they know how to use you to the best of their ability. They have no clue what it means to give back in return and be the kind of friend you've been, There's no reason for you to keep on giving to a friend that feels they never have to give back. If your friendship isn't balanced in the give and take department, I would say go find yourself some new friends. No one should ever be used, especially by a friend.

You've Outgrown Your Friendship-

Just as in any relationship both people must grow in order to keep up with each other. If one grows and the other doesn't it is difficult to continue the relationship. This is why you hear about a couple who was married at 19 divorcing after twenty years. One spouse grew, and the other did not. Sad, but true. The very same thing can and does happen in friendships. Say you became friends with someone when you were children. Everything seemed to be fine up until your late twenties. All of a sudden you and your friend had different ideas about life. You are getting married, and looking forward to a family, and have a budding career, and he is jobless, out partying every night, and just existing. Well, friend or no friend, it may be time to part ways. After all, your trying to move forward and create a better life, and he's more than willing to stay behind and party hearty. Unfortunately, a parting of the ways may be the only solution. Like they say in AA, in order to make it you have to stay away from slippery people and slippery places.

These are some very good reasons to possibly end a friendship. Of course no one is saying not to try all you can to save the friendship, it's just that most of the time when there are valid reasons to end a friendship, they are there for a very good reason!