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View Full Version : How do I rid myself of a clingy person?


Everyothertofu2
Feb 27, 2011, 10:12 PM
I'm friends with this person... well, to be perfectly clear: I'm their ONLY friend. They've told me that I'm the nicest person they've ever met and the only person they can trust. Unfortunately, I wish I'd never even met them. I like my freedom... a lot. And in a friend I look for someone who can deal with the fact that I have multiple friends and I like to hang out with them too and be by myself once in a while. With this EXTREMELY clingy person, they can't accept that I need time to myself and with other people because I'm their only friend. It's a little more than I can handle, having someone SO reliant on me and my various impulses. I feel tied down and confined, worse: used. Not only is this person clingy, they're also narsisstic and use me to get advice and security. I'm tired of being used as a crutch and a security blanket. I just don't know how to tell this person that I've grown tired of the way they treat me and I want desperately to break free.

What they do that's clingy:
-text/call me more than my best friend
-can't handle themselves when I'm sick, want to hang out with other people or want to be by myself.
-follow me around constantly
-when they text/call me it's usually like, "what are you doing? right now??" "where are you??" etc. I don't like that they keep tabs on me constantly... it's creepy.

What I've tried doing:
-answering their texts such as, "what are you doing? where are you? are you angry at me because you're not replying??" with answers such as, "no."
-ignoring them/ ditching them all day at school so they think I'm sick
-hanging out with other people, etc.
-dropping hints
-TELLING THEM THE TRUTH (which they don't listen to)

I don't know what else to do! Please help me deal with this clingy/narsisstic/friendless person!
P.S.
I'm really sorry if that was super confusing, I was just writing down my thoughts as I went along...

Jake2008
Feb 28, 2011, 08:28 AM
You have to be straight with her, and stop allowing her to torture you.

I would advise you to simply put an end to it. If she thinks you just need a break, she won't risk losing you, and will come back stronger than ever if you allow even a little leeway. I would say with someone this needy, you have to be prepared to let her go.

You have options as to how to do this.

You could call her, and tell her you need to talk to her, and could you meet somewhere. Then tell her that the friendship is over. You don't need to convince her, or talk her into understanding why, or explain yourself in any way. Just keep it simple, and tell her that your life is going in a different direction, and you can no longer be friends. Repeat as necessary.

She will likely not give up without a fight, and pressure you to reconsider, and that she can change, and she is so upset that she's been physically ill, etc. Desperation knows no bounds. Stick to your guns.

Think of cause and effect. Her behaviour, and her definition of 'friendship' has caused you to essentially lose your freedom. The effect of all this turmoil, by you ending the friendship, is the effect. If you do what you have to do, you will regain control of your life.

Continue with staying strong, and not taking texts, and messages and email etc. If you need to, change your number or block hers, block her email, and if you are friends on Facebook, block that as well. After the initial 'breakup', whatever you do, don't keep things going by continuously communicating with her. It's over.

Stay strong, prepare yourself, and simply tell her it's over.

Good luck.