So I have a friend who has a boyfriend. A horrible one, at that. We'll call her Rachel.
So Rachel and her boyfriend (Let's go with Ian) have been going out for a while. Like, half a year or so. They seemed like the happiest couple when they first started going out.
Let's fast-forward to about two months later. He's devolved from the best guy ever to a self-absorbed prick. He no longer calls her, he doesn't tell her that he loves her, he won't even listen to her problems. "Don't talk to me about emotions, you're going to piss me off" and the like. So Rachel asks him if she has a place in his life. He says no and threatens to break up with her if she doesn't shut up about her problems.
What's worse about this is that he blames all his problems on her, and she believes him. Ian pushes all the blame on their downhill relationship on her. Apparently she's at fault because she doesn't put effort into their relationship, although I (and many others) see it as the other way around.
Rachel comes to my house every Friday to hang out; of course, it's mostly been for her to vent her frustrations as of late. I've told her on an almost daily occasion that she should dump him. Every single time, she reiterates two things: 1- she loves him and 2- if she did, all her friends would hate her because they like Ian more than her. Personally, I would side with her because Ian is a jerk to everyone.
Today is Friday (and will be for the next like five minutes). Rachel came over at about five, crying her eyes out because of something Ian said to her. So she cried on my shoulder for about two hours, then when she calmed down we watched Monster in Law together. Now she's up in my room sleeping and I thought, "This is a great time to ask SMASHBOARDS for advice. Because you guys have the answer to everything."
She doesn't understand that he's just going to end up hurting her emotionally over and over again. I've told her time and time again to dump him and she refuses to listen to me. What should I tell her? Should I just give up on helping her?
(And since I know it will probably be suggested, no- I'm not going to touch her while she's sleeping.)
So Rachel and her boyfriend (Let's go with Ian) have been going out for a while. Like, half a year or so. They seemed like the happiest couple when they first started going out.
Let's fast-forward to about two months later. He's devolved from the best guy ever to a self-absorbed prick. He no longer calls her, he doesn't tell her that he loves her, he won't even listen to her problems. "Don't talk to me about emotions, you're going to piss me off" and the like. So Rachel asks him if she has a place in his life. He says no and threatens to break up with her if she doesn't shut up about her problems.
What's worse about this is that he blames all his problems on her, and she believes him. Ian pushes all the blame on their downhill relationship on her. Apparently she's at fault because she doesn't put effort into their relationship, although I (and many others) see it as the other way around.
Rachel comes to my house every Friday to hang out; of course, it's mostly been for her to vent her frustrations as of late. I've told her on an almost daily occasion that she should dump him. Every single time, she reiterates two things: 1- she loves him and 2- if she did, all her friends would hate her because they like Ian more than her. Personally, I would side with her because Ian is a jerk to everyone.
Today is Friday (and will be for the next like five minutes). Rachel came over at about five, crying her eyes out because of something Ian said to her. So she cried on my shoulder for about two hours, then when she calmed down we watched Monster in Law together. Now she's up in my room sleeping and I thought, "This is a great time to ask SMASHBOARDS for advice. Because you guys have the answer to everything."
She doesn't understand that he's just going to end up hurting her emotionally over and over again. I've told her time and time again to dump him and she refuses to listen to me. What should I tell her? Should I just give up on helping her?
(And since I know it will probably be suggested, no- I'm not going to touch her while she's sleeping.)
