How to Accept That a Friendship Is Over

By: Natalie Schwab

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Losing a friend can be emotional and difficult, but you have to come to terms with the reality of it eventually. If you and a friend have problems or differences that can't be reconciled, it may be easier to let the friend go than to hold onto a friendship that isn't working. Learn how to move on and accept that a friendship is over by reminding yourself of why it fell apart in the first place and surrounding yourself with positive people.

Step 1

Write down all of the rifts between you that made the friendship fall apart. Reminding yourself why the friendship didn't work will help you cope with losing the person.

Step 2

Talk with the person about why the friendship ended. Say everything you need to say to him. Don't hold anything back, or you may regret it. This will help you to get closure.

Step 3

Get rid of items that remind you of the person. For instance, take down pictures of the two of you and remove the souvenirs from that concert you attended together from your shelf. This will ease your pain and help you forget about the person. Keep fond memories in a box somewhere out of sight, as you may regret throwing these items away in haste or anger.

Step 4

Avoid going places where your old friend frequents, as it may be awkward and uncomfortable to see him.

Step 5

Avoid hanging out with people your old friend hangs out with, as this tends to cause drama and gossip. You aren't going to want to hear about what your friend is doing and you may not want them to know what you're doing, either.

Step 6

Surround yourself with new friends. Socializing with new people and making new friends will help you accept that your friendship has ended, and may help you realize why the friendship ended in the first place.

Step 7

Seek counseling or talk with a family member who knew the person. Talk about the issues that destroyed the friendship and ways to cope.

Step 8

Keep yourself busy. Take up a hobby or activity to get the relationship off your mind.

Step 9

Learn to forgive. Don't harbor negative feelings. Instead, try to understand what happened to the relationship and why it didn't work. Forgiving the person does not mean you accept what they did or what happened, but it may help you accept the friendship is over.