Friendship and Relationships • elliejohn • 8d ago

[32F] A friend of mine suddenly wants me, [31F], to change.

I've made a friend online, and over the past year, we've spent a lot of time chatting on Discord and playing games together. While we've had our share of arguments, things have improved recently, and we agreed to start fresh. However, I've noticed that she's become distant and a bit erratic. About a week ago, she asked me why I don't initiate greetings or goodnight messages. Normally, she takes the lead since she's more talkative and outgoing, while I tend to be quieter and more introverted—something she is aware of. Now, it feels like she's expecting more from me and wants me to change aspects of my personality that I've had since childhood. This shift is confusing because it wasn't an issue before. Yesterday, we had a small argument stemming from a misunderstanding about my texting frequency. I understand her concerns, but the way she expresses them feels somewhat punitive. She made comments suggesting I'm a waste of time, that I don't care, and that she isn't worried if we stop being friends—yet in the same breath, she's asking me to initiate conversations more. Instead of discussing her feelings directly, she mentioned that she had been monitoring how often I reach out first over the past year. This makes it difficult to feel comfortable being friends with her right now. When I asked if she genuinely wants to continue our friendship, it felt like she was pushing me away with hurtful remarks. Her response was, "Don't try if you don't want to," which signals a sort of ultimatum. As a side note, we chat on voice calls on Discord almost daily, so this issue revolves specifically around texting. We also have a mutual friend who spends time with us, but lately, it feels like the dynamic has shifted, and I worry it’s unfair to them. I genuinely want to maintain our friendship, especially since things felt good until she started expressing her need for me to text her more, despite our regular voice calls. She has other friends she connects with, and when I'm playing a game alone, she'll ask if I want her to join, which adds to my sense of imbalance. I understand that relationships should be mutual, but she seemed content just over a week ago. It’s disheartening to feel like she’s been watching my behavior and expecting me to change to meet her needs. I keep asking for more insight into her feelings, but she just repeats that if I don’t want to try, I shouldn’t. I don’t want to lose either her or our third friend, but I'm feeling uncomfortable with how things are right now. How can I regain a sense of lightness and comfort around her so we can continue to be friends?


thomaswind • 8d ago
What specific actions or boundaries can you set to ensure that your friendship feels balanced and comfortable for both of you?
willowdragonrider • 8d ago
It sounds tough! Try talking openly about your feelings. Set clear boundaries and express your needs.
rileystar • 8d ago
Have you considered having an open conversation with her about how her expectations are affecting your comfort in the friendship?