Was your disagreement a one-time occurrence or has been ongoing? If your disagreement just won’t die, maybe the friendship should. Does the issue itself matter more than the friendship? Voting for different people is one thing, but if someone deeply disagrees with your core beliefs, it may be a deal-breaker. Is there a hurt or a slight that neither of you will apologize for? Are you so proud/upset that you can’t say “I’m sorry” and move on with your lives?
If you’re old friends, give it another shot. People go through rough patches, and it’s no excuse to cut and run because things aren’t fun for a few weeks. Drifting apart doesn’t mean you won’t one day drift back together. Just stop hanging out for a while – it’s as simple as that.
Simply put, are you still willing to put in the energy to keep this relationship going? If the answer is no, then move on and make the break. If you already know that you’ll be happy to get rid of the drama, boredom, or other negative feelings that you associate with this person, ending it is a good idea. Ignore the mutual friends, activities, and other nonsense. If they’re bad for you, end it.
If you’re in danger, notify authorities (a boss, school officials, the police) immediately. This is no longer a friendship worth handling alone. [4] X Research source
Keep your conversations in safe, shallow territory. Keep all of the emotional, personal baggage in your own bedroom and out of their house. Lose touch with them. Don’t make as big an effort to call or text. Skip a phone call or two. Don’t overdo it, of course. But if you’re not friends, you don’t need to be in constant communication. Decline invitations to chill. As the distance between you grows, stop spending time with the ex-friend. They’ll stop calling eventually, once they get the idea.
If you are willing to keep in touch with this person, make it clear what kind of communication is cool with you. You don’t have to ignore someone’s very existence just because you don’t want to hang out anymore. If you never want to speak to your former friend again, warn them of the consequences if they don’t listen. And, like any other promise, make sure you follow through if they do.
Your friend might not take it well. One or both of you might end up crying, begging, or flying off in rage. But whatever the current emotions, they do not erase the reasons you had for ending things. You’re going to feel guilty, end of story. Just remember that, no matter how broken your relationship may have been, it’s normal to feel responsible for the death of a good thing. It will pass with time.
If your former friend tends to become aggressive when confronted, you should expect verbal or even physical backlash. End things in public, and bring a friend or write a letter if you’re really worried. You’re going to be angry for a while if your friend hurt you. It’s normal. But don’t let your anger pull you to the dark side, young padawan. Once you let the friendship go, let the emotions go as well.
If your former friend is passive-aggressive, expect back-stabbing behavior after you break off the friendship. Try and remember that it is, in the end, kind of your fault for ending things and that you shouldn’t strike back. You already ended the relationship. Don’t make things worse by trying to sabotage or hurt them after you’ve already ended it.
