For many individuals, friends are some of the most important people in their lives; not to mention best friends. But unfortunately, despite often being referred to as “best friends forever”, they might not stick around this long, and there can be many reasons why.
One redditor recently started a discussion about such reasons, after they turned to the ‘Ask Reddit’ community asking why other users and their best friends had a falling out. Quite a few netizens went down memory lane—and not a fun one, I might add—and shared the stories of what turned their BFF into a stranger. Scroll down to find their accounts on the list below and feel free to share your story in the comments, if you, too, have lost a friend you thought was going to be by your side forever.
#1
I was doing all the work. Initiating conversations, making the plans, driving, paying (they make almost no money, and I was making good money), keeping the friendship going...
I stopped instigating plans. They never contacted me. I knew right then that this was truly a one-sided friendship.
Image credits: EnigmaCA
#2
He passed away. I'm pretty pissed about that. He did have the final say.
Image credits: kanofcorn
#3
She made out that her dad was missing (he wasn't) and said to me infront of our friends, "no offence, at least you know where your dad is."
Sounds normal, but my dad passed away a month before this. She was seriously messed up and I'm glad I'm no longer friends with that psycho.
Image credits: bonkersaurs
#4
Her boyfriend told her he didn’t trust me so she cut me off. I just laughed and moved on, three weeks later she caught him cheating. Our friendship never recovered.
Image credits: ConstantHuman920
#5
He transitioned to a she, which I had no problem with. But then she made that her entire personality, constantly playing the victim, no matter the situation.
Got shorted at Chipotle? They must hate trans people.
Got cut off in traffic? They must hate trans people.
And on and on and on and on…. It was exhausting. But the straw that broke the camels back, was when we were having a discussion about this whole thing. I told her that I was on her side and always had her back regardless. And she said “That’s not enough.”
And I was out. 20 years of friendship, out the window in 3 words.
Image credits: C-137MrMeeSeeks
#6
He took me to a party at the house of his girlfriend’s friends. I was a POS and stole from the host, I was caught weeks later. Paid back what I stole to avoid charges being pressed and the friendship was rightfully over.
That was 20 years ago and it still bothers me often. I’m sorry Zach!
Image credits: badabinkbadaboon
#7
He decided to lie about having money to fly out to be my best man and instead went on vacation. I had no best man for my wedding. 25 years, gone.
Image credits: Coldfire2050
#8
Wasn't my best friend, but was a close one. One day he confessed to me that he had a foot fetish and I was just polite about it like "OK man, that's not for me but it's cool you like it!"
And then he told me that he always liked my feet a lot. (I'm a girl btw)
And then EVERY SINGLE TIME we interacted after that he was like a drooling, badly trained dog. Always panting after me, begging me to send him foot pictures and other weirder s**t.
I tried to be firm, I tried to reason, I tried telling him that I miss our friendship. But he even continued after I was in a relationship, and then married, and then EVEN when I was pregnant. And I just decided to mourn the person he was when we were friends because he's dead to me now. Just no respect, and I can't stand the way he shrinks me down to this fetish, like all the deep and meaningful conversations we had and the friendship we shared was just fake because he was trying to get my feet in his mouth.
The fetish zone is an incredibly uncomfortable place to be in if you thought you were in a friendship.
Image credits: fullcupofbitter
#9
She’s 30 & still acts 16. All she cares about is drama & dudes who are trash & I’m done hearing about it.
Image credits: No_Step_851
#10
My best friend RSVPed for a table of six for my wedding, but none of them showed up. I never got a text, call, gift, or any kind of excuse. Based on social media pictures, I found out later on that they had a picnic and just didn't feel like doing a wedding. That was painful because even a lie apology would have at least suggested some level of apathy.
Image credits: phoenix14830
#11
He kept sleeping with my wife, even after I asked him to refrain from doing that.
Image credits: Equivalent_Delays_97
#12
He had a kid. I literally never heard from him again after he texted me that his daughter had been born. Every few months or so I’d reach out and ask how everyone was doing. I quit after about a year.
We moved to different cities after graduating college. He’d always been a super busy, distracted guy with a lot going on so I understood at the beginning. I’m not a needy guy or a needy friend. Having a kid is especially hard work and should be his number one priority…but to never hear from the guy again, ever? My best friend? That sucked. That sucked bad.
Image credits: VikingRodeo9
#13
My best friend over 20 years tried to frame his wife for felony assault and I knew he was lying because I was there on those days. He wanted to get out of paying alimony, dividing assets, and sharing custody. I told him not to do this, and end his marriage with a proper divorce over but he wouldn’t listen.
I testified against him because I couldn’t let this happen to an innocent person.
I feel sad it came to this, and I feel I betrayed him. Had he taken the high road I’d have been there for him 100%.
#14
Idk man. He was my best friend, good guy. We did everything together for about 15 years. We were in bands, trained jujitsu, movies, everything.
One day about 8 years ago, just stopped responding to texts or calls. I send a text once or twice a year to let him know I miss him and I want to know what happened. Haven’t heard from him in 8 years. He’s married now with a kid and taking over his father’s business. I wish him nothing but success, health and happiness.
I just want to know what happened but here we are.
#15
He chased me around with a hammer and threatened to [unalive] me after asking him to turn his instrument down because it was louder than my drum kit and despite wearing musicians earplugs/monitors I was going deaf.
Image credits: anon
#16
She got too drunk and randomly started being really nasty toward me. Said some very very hurtful things that a “best friend” would never say unless they thought those things to be true the whole time we were friends. She crossed a line and I can’t find it in me to forgive her.
Image credits: bnrdancer
#17
We went from best friends to roommates, and we had terrible issues with communication until resentment built up so much that we had an extreme blowup over the phone.
About a year later, I was feeling a lot of regret about it, so without my knowledge my girlfriend actually reached out to him to see if he would be willing to talk to me. He seemed amenable to it, but after I apologized for my end of it, he took the opportunity to unload on me even more. I honestly felt a weight lifted off my shoulders and didn’t feel anymore regret. We were meant to part ways and that was that.
Image credits: successadult
#18
Refused to take a side when it counted. It was especially hurtful considering the situation I was in was caused by the consequences of me sticking my neck out for her.
Image credits: 7_Rowle
#19
He beat his wife and went to jail.
Image credits: TheRev15
#20
It was more of a 'we stopped talking to each other for good' than a proper falling out, but she was the sort of person who would be close friends with you one moment, but the minute she got into a relationship, that became her entire world and she would stop talking to you for weeks on end. The only times I used to hear from her was when she decided she needed a break from her boyfriend and figured I'd always be around to hangout with her.
My final straw was going on a shopping trip with her and she was close to straight up leaving me at a shop with no transport in place because she was in a rush to get back to her boyfriend. She had driven us out to this place and was prepared to leave me there which would have cost me a lot of money to get back home.
Image credits: Kirbzi95
#21
He got into a relationship with a narcissist. His gf has been alienating his friends from day 1. Just found out from a mutual friend that none of his Day 1 friends are invited to his wedding. I’ve know my best friend for almost 2 decades.
Heard the reason why I wasn’t invited was because I didn’t support his relationship according to his fiancée. The fiancée has bumped heads with me in the past and I was his roommate but she wanted me gone. I stood up for some ppl in our friend group when he stayed silent while she gossiped about them.
Image credits: poet0588
#22
Her ten year old son died of sepsis.
a few years later, I survived sepsis, because I knew the signs.
but because I survived, our friendship failed. twenty years.
Image credits: WearyEnthusiasm6643
#23
Let’s just say when you got through a health scare like cancer, you quickly figure out who your good friends are, despite being beside them through thick and thin over many years. Good riddance!
#24
She was constantly tracking my location and began treating me like she was my toxic boyfriend. wouldn’t let me get a partner, make new friends, it was rough for a long time. also a bit verbally abusive.
Image credits: viabasic
#25
Invited him to an NFL game, ticket price was $100.00 or so, I didn’t ask for reimbursement or did he offer it, just wanted him to have a good time. Fast forward two weeks later, I call him up on a Friday evening seeing what he’s up to, want to do something. He’s excited I called because him and other friends, not my friends, had an extra ticket to a cover band, ask if I wanted to go. I met up near the venue, one of his friends became ill and so I ended up driving him home, over 20 miles round trip. Got back to the venue,went to the show, good time. Two days later he was over to watch football, as he was leaving asked if I had the $8.00 for the ticket, I reluctantly gave it to him, he could tell I was upset. He called me about 20 minutes later asking why I was upset, I told him first I didn’t ask for reimbursement to the NFL game and most importantly he wanted $8.00 for a ticket that they would have not used, had to eat , if I didn’t call. Also I reminded him of driving his ill friend home without any offer of reimbursement. His response, “oh.”.
#26
She hit on my dad. He made her leave and told her mom. We haven't talked since.
#27
He gave me a gift and then asked me to give it back so he can sell it.
Image credits: Tastycaramel0
#28
I "left town and didn't even tell anyone." I messaged them all for months and even had a going away party that no one showed up to. Looking back they were not very good friends.
Image credits: CaptainQuoth
#29
Because I was a s****y, self centered, selfish person and they finally had enough. Even though it shattered me at the time, and still does from time to time, it may have been the greatest act of love they ever gave me.
#30
“Stay in this raid group, or spend time with your wife, your decision,”.
#31
I cut ties with my best friend because he had a thing about getting together with girls that I had previously dated or been out with - now you may say that that's OK, because I was no longer seeing them, but when it happens repeatedly, and in some cases there is still some residual emotional attachment, it gets a bit wearing. It went on for about 7 years, and got to a stage where he was virtually lining up my current g/f, as his next g/f.
Image credits: rcfvlw1925
#32
It turns out that everyone I thought was my friend in high school was just faking it. Everyone regularly talked s**t about me behind my back.
The person who, at the time, I wrongly believed to be my best friend was one of them, and only told me about a year after we had graduated. Looking back, I shouldn't have been friends with her anyway. She was dating someone who was 25 at the time she was 17. They're married now.
So who needs her?
Image credits: SyMag
#33
He made fun of me for dropping out of college. That was years ago and we have since moved way past it, but in the end he did kind of end up with a s**t degree from a s**t university and has never had a job in his chosen field.
Image credits: attackedmoose
#34
He's somewhat rich. Retired and since he's not making money he's getting free healthcare through Obama Care. He brags that he voted every time to prevent Obama Care, but "hey, if they're dumb enough to give it to me, I'll take it".
D**k.
#35
We both grew older but I'm the only one that grew up.
We're in our 30s and in her mind we are still 16. She still has the mindset of a high schooler when the reality of the situation is she's a single mom that is self destructing instead of being a good mother to her 8 year old son.
One of the last straws was the principal sent her a letter about her always bringing her son to school 30 min late, him being violent to the point where all the other kids are afraid of him, and his grades declining. The letter was well articulated, empathetic and it was clear the principal cared about the well-being of her, her son and all of the other students. She got upset that I agreed with the principal.
Image credits: tmps1993
#36
He found new friends and started seeing me as a backup friend, the mutual respect just wasn't there anymore.
Image credits: krakn-slayr
#37
We were close, close, close. We lived in separate countries and I had visited her at one point and we had a BLAST and it brought us even closer. It was amazing. A few weeks later she reunited with an old flame and over the next few weeks we started talking less and less.
She came out to visit me several months later here in the US (her first actual visit) and spent most of the time texting and talking on the phone to her boyfriend when we were out and about. At the house, she was glued to Skype talking to him. I had a party and invited mutual friends she had known online for a really long time so they could meet her and she stayed in a back office talking to the boyfriend on Skype for most of the night.
She ended up having a $1500 phone bill from all the long distance calls and texts (this was early 2000s).
By the time it was time for her to go back home, I literally could not care less. We may have spoken once after that where she assured me that everything was good. That was like twenty years ago. =/.
#38
My bro just started to hang out with gangsters 1 year ago and one day came up to me demanding I fight him. Apparently the gangsters told him to fight me for him to fully join their clan or sum but in the end, we didn’t fight. He still got accept in their stupid gang.
#39
She perpetually dated cheaters and anytime I’d point out a red flag she would tell me I was jealous… would come running back as soon as she found out they cheated but I cut her off because id had enough.
Image credits: sarcasticseductress
#40
Because Im autistic and didn’t know it. Paraphrasing a lot there, but thats basically what it came down to.
Image credits: Werdikinz
#41
She made fun of my mental health problems in front of other friends while we were living together. I later realized it was a heavily codependent relationship and was never really healthy.
#42
I don't know how to explain it but she wasn't rooting for me. She never seemed happy for me, or asked me questions about myself. She just... wasn't a good friend. And eventually, that was enough. I thought I could be the good friend for the whole relationship but alas, nope. And honestly, I don't miss her.
#43
Going to church with him. We somehow get on the topic of whether or not gay people should be allowed in church. I say that Jesus welcomed everyone and that any church should do the same. His counter was just telling me to shut up. The last I spoke to him was 2008 when he begged me to not vote for Obama because he was evil.
I became an atheist soon after lol.
#44
I wish i knew. One day he was gone. Supposedly still lives in my city but I cant get a hold of him. I miss my friend.
#45
His family moved when I was 8. I reconnected with it him randomly 25 years later. He was married with 2 kids, and had no interest on a continued friendship. That’s ok.
#46
She, my now ex GF had sexual relations with my longtime friend and band mate. I’ve never had a lot of friends in life and this was a kick in the teeth. It destroyed my trust in people and I almost drank myself to death.
#47
We both joined the Marine Corps out of high school and went in under the “Buddy Program” but got separated at the airport after landing in San Diego.
He ended up in one platoon and I in another. Both of us were told either one of us could switch over to either platoon but that never happened.
Fast forward two months.
During the Crucible (a grueling 3-day series of field exercises that tests your mental and physical limits) our company (consisting of six 80ish-man platoons) had gathered at the base of a mountain we called The Reaper. It’s one of the crucible’s final mentally and physically-demanding tests.
At this point in time during recruit training, I had earned the honor of “Company High Shooter” and was awarded the position of squad leader.
Just before we stepped off to hump The Reaper, I had noticed my best friend at the tail-end of his platoon before us. Turned out, he had a knee injury and was without his rifle and ruck.
For some stupid reason I sounded the alarm to my Senior Drill Instructor that Recruit Campbell and I were best friends who got separated at the beginning of recruit training.
My best friend, Shane, someone who had literally been my best friend since second grade was worn out and had the look of defeat.
To make matters worse, my SDI called Shane over, and said to him “How in the hell can a broken b***h like you know one of my best recruits?! You’re disgusting, broken, weak, and you WILL be phased out of my Marine Corps. You will NEVER earn the title of United States Marine. Now get the f**k away from me right now.”
They forced him to hike the Reaper regardless of his injury. His platoon was in front of mine. And while he struggled to keep up with his platoon, I helped lead mine. And every chance I could I tried to use words of motivation so he could finish.
They put him in a humvee after the Crucible and medically separated him shortly after.
We had a falling out because he got seriously into hard d***s after they sent him home. It was and still is seriously heartbreaking for me. I talk to him occasionally, but just to make sure he’s still around.
Life took us through two totally different paths because of that day. I’ve tried helping him several times over the years, but he kinda just wants to be left alone.
I hate it.
Edit to add - this was just over 19 years ago.
Edit 2 - In addition to the d**g use (which is something he was staunchly against prior to boot camp, so it was more of a moral compass disappointment because that wasn’t who he was to me) rumor around town was he was claiming to having still earned the title Marine. That was a main wedge. It took a few years for me to accept that was his was of coping with the embarrassment, and ultimately forgive him.
#48
He broke into the apartment I shared with my mother while I was out of town attending her funeral to get his half of a bag of weed.
#49
He introduced me to D&D and then proceeded to use it to [hurt] me due to personal issues with me and when I would bring up something feeling unfair or off he would belittle me and treat me like s**t.
We didn't speak for 9 months and I'd blocked him. He made new accounts, reached out and it took about 6 months for it to happen again.
Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. That's what I get for being naive.
Re-blocked him again and that was about 4 years ago now.
#50
I dated his ex. It was a rocky high school relationship that didn't even last. He dumped her when the girl he actually liked started showing signs of liking him back... And four f*****g years had gone by! He was living with the new girlfriend already. Yet it was still a huge deal and he felt soooo betrayed. I think he just needed an excuse to cut me out of his life.
#51
Dude would leave a mess every time he came over to my apartment, I had a talk with him about it and he just went on a full tangent about how its expected of the host to pick up after the guests which I would agree to if we were talking about like parties, events or just social invites but sometimes he would just show up to my place without telling me and I work remote so sometimes I would be exhausted from work just to clock out to start cleaning.
#52
My best friend and I were joined at the hip did four years. Then she decided she didn’t like my boyfriend. She asked me to not say anything about him. So I didn’t. Then she found out I had never broken up with him. She gave me a whole spiel about how I had preached I trusted her but couldn’t even tell her that one thing and that now things can never be as they were before. We could still be friends but a lot of things would change as she could no longer trust me.
For all my efforts, we never spoke again.
#53
She demanded I spend my time between her and my boyfriend equally. She would complain I went out with him alone, but not her. If I took a trip with him, now I had to do it with her for the same amount of days.
Now she's married to another woman, so it's possible her feelings weren't merely friendship, but probably more.
Edit: to clarify for those who asked, this was about 10 years ago. I'm married to that boyfriend now. I'm over 30, this was in my mid 20s.
#54
He was paranoid and depressed, always judging himself and others too harshly. Always thought I was out here "trying to get him". Then he would be an a*****e, usually when we were drunk, and I wouldn't put up with it. I would get annoyed, call him out and other s**t. Im not blameless there.
But the last time it happened, it was my first time going out after a surgery. I had previously asked him to join me, because I Was going to hang out with a girl who always tries tonset me up with her friends. i just wanted some back up. He said he couldnt go out that night. After dinner we went to a local pub he told me about. And guess who shows up on his own. Honestly whatever, i Was more happy to see him and his gf.
After a while we mentioned going to Karaoke, I was in a great mood son I decided to pay everyones tab when noone was paying attention. He said some stuff and seemed annoyed, and even later mentioned how im in always trying to make him look bad.
Then later my friend and I(the girl not him) started hooking up a bit. This seemed to piss him off. Idk this for sure but this is a girl he had previously gotten very handsy with and was rejected. Maybe that was why? Idk.
Ultimately he started accusing me of something like trying to manipulate him, and I swore on the soul of my dead mother i was just chilling and nothing like that was even crossing my mind. And he lost it. Saying I disrespected my own mother. I was still pretty fresh from a surgery so I just sat down on the curb while he tried to kick and punch me.
Over texts the next day he complained how I always take the high road and how I'm secretly a piece of s**t. And he knows the "true me". I told him to get help and that I loved him but I was done. Haven't spoken to him since. .
#55
We mostly moved to different stages of our lives. He went to travel the world without finishing high school. I went into academia. Not saying either one is better. We just no longer have much common anymore….
#56
They became obsessed with Bit Coin and getting rich. To the point every time Id ask to hang out (which as I reflect, I threw the invite 99% of the time), all they wanted to do is try to tweek their bit farm. I finally got tired of asking. All the things we had in common seemed to take a back seat to their obsession. Sucks, it was a 35+ year friendship. Haven't talked to them in a few years.
#57
I over reacted to something, which was completely out of the ordinary for me. Instead of being genuinely concerned as to what caused me to act the way I did, he got mad and yelled at me.
I was fully in the wrong and would have apologized (I actually did apologize to another person that was involved in the situation), but his reaction to the situation made me start thinking about a lot of things that happened over the years and I realized that he wasn’t someone that I wanted to associate myself anymore.
I am so much happier now and also do my best to control my emotions better.
#58
He had a messy breakup with his girlfriend and couldn't cope with the aftermath. Somehow, he convinced himself that it was everyone else's fault and not of his own actions, and he decided to cut off his close group of friends, including myself, in a half a*sed attempt to feel better.
We haven't talked in 10 years, but we've crossed paths at local shows every so often. He looks the other way when he walks by.
#59
He stole my £8 fishing line and hooks but denied it then, when we went fishing, used both, looking back on it, i respect the hustle.
