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Friendship problems
Friends can be there to enjoy the best, worst, and everything in-between. But if you’re having problems with your friendships then we’ve got advice and tips to help.
Falling out with friends
It’s natural to have arguments sometimes. It can be upsetting when you fall out with someone close to you, but it doesn’t always mean the friendship has to end.
It can take time for things to start to feel better after an argument. You might not be sure how to mend your friendship or even if you want to.
If you’re struggling with what to do, there are a few things you can think about that might help:
5 things that make a good friendship
- Caring about each other’s opinions
- Being able to have fun and good times together
- Helping each other when things are tough
- Respecting each other’s needs and boundaries
- Treating each other equally
Dealing with friendship issues
When something happens or changes in a friendship, it can be hard to know what to do. If you’re struggling with something that’s happened, then we’ve got advice to help:
Making friends
There are lots of reasons you might want to make new friends, and we’ve got lots of advice to help:
Having a crush on a friend
Having a crush on your friend might feel exciting or scary. You could be worried about whether they feel the same way, not being out about your sexuality, or how to bring it up.
What you do about your feelings is always up to you, and it should be your choice whether you let someone know if you have feelings for them. There are things that can help:
- Take your time
Think about whether you want a relationship with your friend, or if it’s just that you like them. - Look for signs they feel the same way
This isn’t always easy, but it can help to think about whether they’re clearly interested in other people. - Get a second opinion
Speak to someone you trust for support about how you’re feeling, and what you should do next. - Think about your friendship
Ask yourself how your friend would feel if they knew, and what would happen with the friendship if they did. - Decide if you want to share your feelings
This doesn’t have to be a final decision, but knowing if you do want to then you can think about how, but if you don’t then you can work on moving on. - Work out the best way to talk about it
Think about a time when you can talk openly, what you’d say, and what you’d do if things didn’t go as planned. - Respect your friend
If your friend doesn’t feel the same way, then that’s okay. Remember, it’s never okay to make someone feel pressured or guilty for not sharing your feelings.
If you're struggling with your feelings, you can always talk to us.
Fake friends and bullying
Sometimes it can feel hard to tell whether a friend is just making a joke, or if they’re being fake or even bullying you. If someone is treating you badly and making you feel bad, then that’s not okay.
There are lots of things a friend might do to make you feel bad:
- trying to embarrass you, put you down, or making jokes at your expense
- excluding you or leaving you out of plans or group chats
- pressuring or forcing you to do things you don’t want to do
- hurting you or doing things to you that make you uncomfortable or upset
- anything else that feels targeted to hurt you or make you feel bad.
Someone might do these things without realising, or they may be doing it on purpose. Whatever the reason, you don’t deserve to be treated badly.
What you can do
How you respond is always your choice. If you trust your friend or think it’s not on purpose, then you might want to talk to them directly.
If you’re not sure, it may help to speak to someone outside the friendship. You could speak to an adult you trust, or even post anonymously on the message boards.
It can help to plan how you want to respond if someone starts to treat you badly. That could involve thinking about what you might want to say back, where to go for support if it happens, or ways you could cope afterwards.
