My Best Friend Is Destroying My Life—I’m Finally Cutting Her Off

Friendships are meant to provide support, trust, and understanding. But what happens when a friendship becomes emotionally draining and one-sided? I never thought I would have to walk away from my long-time best friend, but to protect my mental health and focus on self-care, I had no choice. This is my painful story.

A special bond that no longer makes me happy.

“Hey, Bright Side! I’m Mike, and I need to get this off my chest. I don’t know if my decision was right or wrong, but at the time, it felt like the only option. Now, I’m not so sure.”

For years, my friend Sara confided in me about her struggles. She works all the time because her boyfriend of seven years has anxiety and claims he “can’t work.” He leeches off her. I felt for her, but listening to the same complaints day after day, with no effort to change her situation, became exhausting.

Mike continues, “I genuinely wanted to help, so I kept an eye on job openings at my office and tried to get him a job. But, Sara called me ‘horrible’ for it instead of thanking me. Sara told our mutual friends that I was ’forcing her boyfriend to get a job.’ I was upset but remained silent, thinking she already has too much to worry about.

But, it wasn’t the first time my support was met with hostility. Whenever I tried to talk about my own life or relationship, Sara would shift the focus back to her never-ending problems.”

My last straw.

"However, just a week later, my heart shattered when I discovered that our friendship was entirely one-sided. I landed my dream job and was thrilled to share the good news with my best friend. But before I could even finish my sentence, Sara cut me off with something that stunned me: 'I can’t believe you’re talking about a dream job when I’m stuck in a dead-end job that I can’t quit.'"

That moment hit me hard. I realized that Sara never truly supported me. Her negativity and inability to celebrate my achievements were draining my emotional well-being. To protect my mental health, I decided to cut ties with her.

She hurt me more than I ever imagined.

“A week later, I discovered something even worse. Sara had been spreading lies about me to our mutual friends. She twisted the situation, making me out to be the villain who ‘abandoned her in her darkest hour.’ She even claimed that I was jealous of her relationship and trying to meddle in their lives.

She didn’t stop there. Sara told people that I wanted her boyfriend to owe me a favor by ‘forcing him to work.’ As if that wasn’t enough, she betrayed my trust by revealing personal secrets I had shared with her, distorting them to cause problems between me and my girlfriend.

I had trusted Sara for years, and in the end, she completely betrayed me. It hurt deeply, but it also gave me the final push I needed to walk away. Some friendships are just too toxic to hold onto, no matter how much history you share.

Choosing myself wasn’t easy, but I knew I had to set boundaries. I refused to let her manipulation and negativity dictate my life any longer. Walking away allowed me to focus on my mental health and invest in relationships that truly bring joy and support. Since then, Sara has been reaching out, apologizing, and trying to reconnect. Now, I’m left wondering—should I give her another chance? Should I at least hear her out?”

Hi Mike, thank you for sharing your story with us. It sounds heartbreaking and emotionally draining. It’s okay to choose your mental peace and put yourself first. Here are some things you might do to help you take charge of the situation:

Assess the apology: Does it feel sincere? Is Sara taking responsibility, or is she making excuses? If her apology doesn’t seem genuine, you don’t owe her anything.

Set clear boundaries: If you choose to respond, be clear about what you will and won’t tolerate moving forward.

Communicate on your terms: If you’re not ready for a face-to-face conversation, respond through text or email. This gives you control over the situation and allows you time to process her words.

Take it slow: If you decide to reconnect, start small. See if she’s genuinely changed. If talking to her causes more stress, it’s okay to let go and move on.

Not every friendship is meant to last forever, especially if it becomes toxic. Sometimes, choosing your well-being is the most important decision you can make.

In one of our other letters, a woman wrote to us about how she excluded her stepson from her daughter’s birthday party and the shocking reason why. Check out her letter here.