Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Handling the Loss of a Friend
• Part 2 of 3: Making sense of a fading friendship
• Part 3 of 3: How to live on
• Tips

We often expect friendships to last forever, but sometimes friendships fade away. For example, a difference of opinion or conflict can sow discord between friends. In other cases, obstacles such as work, distance or family obligations interfere, and then the friendship gradually fades away without any enmity. In any case, it is difficult for a person to get used to the idea that a close friend is gradually passing away. It will take time to think things over. Wait for your emotions to cool down, and then come to the conclusion why your friendship has died out. This relationship can be saved if you get used to the idea that now you will see your friend less often.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Handling the Loss of a Friend

1. 1 Take care of yourself. If you have lost a friend, then you need to take time for yourself. Emotions can be hard to deal with alone, but it’s even harder to deal with a loss if you don’t take care of yourself.
   • Get enough sleep. Remember to eat right and exercise.
   • Do something nice for yourself, no matter how small. Go to the movies. Read a book in the bathtub.
2. 2 Write a goodbye letter. If you have accepted the fact that your friendship has faded, then write a farewell letter, as it can have a healing effect on you. You will not send it to anyone. This is just a way to cope with your emotions and turn the page in life. Put your thoughts on paper to deal with the accumulated emotions.
   • Writing doesn't have to be perfect, it's just a way to cope with anxiety. You can just express your feelings.How are you feeling now? Why do you feel this way?
   • Share your shared memories. Tell us what you are missing. If there is a fight, then ask for forgiveness.
   • Lost friendships don't always come to an end. Sometimes friends are just too busy and begin to communicate with each other less often. You can write a farewell letter regretting that now you are not so close. You may be missing out on the daily conversations with your friend, but point out that you want to maintain the relationship in a new way.
3. 3 Allow yourself to feel the experience. Friends are very important to our emotional health, so your situation is not an easy test. Don't try to suppress your feelings, even if they are not the most pleasant. Allow yourself to feel and reflect on your emotions.
   • Cry if necessary. Many are ashamed of their upset feelings in such a situation. If the friendship has come to an end, then you must feel the loss.
   • It is sometimes difficult to cope with your emotions, especially if you are looking into the future. Your sadness matters a lot. If you find it difficult, then spur your memories. Check out old social media posts. Go to a cafe or bar where you were spending time together.
4. 4 Temporarily distance yourself from social media. If you are no longer an important part of your friend's life, then social media can hurt your feelings. On the network, you could remain friends, and then you will see all the news of your ex-girlfriend that will hurt you. For the time of sadness, try not to go to social networks. Log out of your Facebook and VKontakte account for a few days to gather your strength.
   • In the future, consider turning off your ex-girlfriend's updates on various social media platforms until you get used to the new reality.

Part 2 of 3: Making sense of a fading friendship

1. 1 Don't look for someone to blame for the situation. If a friendship has faded, there is usually no one to blame. Even if both people contributed to the fight, the thought of finding the culprit will only make your life harder. Feelings of guilt can also negatively affect future relationships, as it deprives the ability to resolve conflicts and sows enmity. If you blame yourself, you will end up in a vicious circle of guilt in the future.
2. 2 Think about your role in ending the friendship. You may not have done anything. Friendships often fade away due to external circumstances (such as time and distance). You can stop being so close, but remain friends. However, sometimes a friend will distance himself from you for a specific reason. Ending a relationship allows you to think about what kind of friend you are and how you feel about others.
   • Has this happened to you before? Friends have already left your life? If this happens frequently, it may be related to your behavior. Or you often choose people who are difficult to get along with as friends.
   • If your friend has often broken up with other people, then it may not be about you at all. It may be that you strive to be friends with emotionally closed people. Reflect on any past friendships and assess whether friends have always treated you in a way that makes you feel comfortable and confident with them.
   • If your friend has many old friends besides you, then you may be part of the problem. Think about your relationship with this person. Perhaps you did something wrong? You can talk to the rest of your friends. Ask them to honestly express their opinion of you, point out areas that you can improve.
3. 3 Don't take a faded friendship personally. Typically, it’s not a specific person, but difficulties like distance and commitment that get in the way of maintaining a friendship. Often people tend to take life events personally, but a faded friendship can be hampered by external circumstances.
   • Assess your friend's life circumstances. Has he got a new job, a family, has a child been born? He moved?
   • Circumstances even affect relationships that seem to last forever. A friend may be constrained in time. It is very likely that in the future you will start communicating again every day. If external factors influenced the friendship, then it is likely that the friend does not hold any evil at all on you.
4. 4 See how new forms of communication are affecting friendships. Friendship fades for a variety of reasons. For example, let's say you left your hometown and for the first few weeks talked to your friend on the phone every day. After a year, you communicate and see each other much less often. It may seem like your friend doesn't need you anymore, or there was a reason to end the relationship. But it may be trivial employment. New ways of communicating can restore fading friendships.
   • Write messages. Chat with a friend on social media. You can maintain friendships in a different way by changing your communication patterns.
   • It may be easier for a friend to communicate with you through social networks and SMS, and you will understand that your friendship is still important, albeit at a distance.
5. 5 Avoid gossip. Telling the other person how you feel can help you deal with the loss. He can give you good advice. Many people lose friends over the course of their lives and share their experiences.
   • Remember not to gossip. There is no need to be at enmity or move away even more. In the event of frustration at ending a friendship, gossip or rumors about your friend will only make matters worse.
6. 6 Accept that the relationship has changed. A faded friendship is not the end of a relationship. Lasting friendships can change over time. Take your time to disown your friend and try to see the whole picture. Perhaps your friendship has not faded at all, but simply changed.
   • People change over time, and these changes can affect relationships. The previous level of intimacy may no longer make sense for a number of reasons. For example, after 30 years, you may no longer feel the same closeness to your high school friends. As you approach your top ten, you may lose touch with some of your college mates.
   • A faded relationship can remain important. Any intimacy fades over time. At some points, you may stop hanging out with your close friends every day. This situation is in the order of things. We must not forget about these people. Better to accept that your friendship has changed, but you are still important to each other.

Part 3 of 3: How to live on

1. 1 Learn to be a good friend. If it seems to you that it was your act that led to the extinction of friendship, then try to change for the better. Try to improve your relationship with your current friends, as well as make new friends.
   • If you've analyzed a faded friendship, you might have noticed a pattern of behavior. Perhaps you are usually attached to a questionable relationship, or a certain aspect of your behavior turns other people off. In this case, you can contact a psychotherapist. A good professional can help you deal with your emotions and become a caring friend.
2. 2 Busy yourself to fill the void. Sometimes relationships end very quickly, especially with age. You may suddenly realize that you and your college friend have become estranged from each other. This awareness often awakens feelings of loneliness. At the moment of loss, you need to occupy yourself with various things. The loss of a friend creates a feeling of emptiness. Find activities that will distract you and replace the time you spent with your friend.
   • Find a new hobby. Learn to knit or start solving crosswords. Sign up for a cooking class.
   • You can also meet new friends. Register on sites that will help you find hobby classes where you can meet your like-minded people.
3. 3 Keep in touch with a friend in the future. Remember that friendships often fade away due to external circumstances. After a while, try talking to your friend again.Let go of the possible feelings of frustration due to lack of communication. When everything is settled, you can renew the friendship to some extent.
   • Often people do not want to communicate with old friends if they feel cheated. It may seem like it’s your friend’s turn to take the first step. This attitude will not help the situation in any way. So you only move away from the person with whom you can communicate well.
   • Try to forgive your friend for rare communication. Sometimes a simple phone call or text message can renew a faded friendship. Like all relationships, friendships are subject to change. At some point, you will share the most intimate with your friend, and then you can move away from each other. Perhaps the friendship only faded for a while. If this person is important to you, then take your time and effort. You can bring a very close friend back into your life.

Tips

• Don't push your friend. If the friendship fades, you may feel angry or frustrated. It should be remembered that people have other things to do and that you could have left the life of another person in the same way.