Top 10+ Reasons Women Fall Out With Their Friends

1. Betrayal of Trust

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Trust is a fundamental aspect of any friendship. When one friend betrays the other's confidence, whether it's through sharing secrets, breaking promises, or being dishonest, it can lead to a breakdown of trust and a falling out. It’s often hard to come back from this type of conflict.

2. Misunderstandings

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Conflicts can arise from misunderstandings or miscommunications. Sometimes, what one person says or does may be misinterpreted by their friend, causing hurt feelings or confusion. Best case scenario, the misunderstanding can be worked through and cleared up. Worst case scenario, the friendship may end.

3. Jealousy

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Feelings of jealousy or envy can emerge when one friend perceives the other as more successful, more attractive, or more fortunate. This may happen if one friend is married while the other is single, one friend has experienced significant career success while the other has struggled, and so on. These negative emotions can erode a friendship over time.

4. Different Values and Beliefs

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Fundamental differences in values, beliefs, or principles can create rifts between friends, especially when they relate to important aspects of life, such as religion, politics, or ethics. Sometimes, it’s possible to maintain friendships without discussing these things. But oftentimes, the friendship isn’t sustainable.

5. Lack of Support During Difficult Times

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A strong friendship often requires mutual support during difficult moments. When one friend feels let down or abandoned by the other in their time of need, it can lead to resentment and the potential for a falling out. It’s important to be there for your friends when they’re struggling.

6. Disagreements Over Money

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Money can be a sensitive topic, and disagreements over loans, debts, spending habits, or financial priorities can strain a friendship. This can be especially true when one friend asks to borrow money, and tension develops when it’s not reimbursed in a timely manner. In this scenario, communication is key.

7. Rivalry

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Healthy competition can be motivating, but when it turns into rivalry and jealousy, it can damage a friendship. Competing for the same goals or recognition can create tension, especially if both parties lack the ability to be happy for one another, no matter the end result.

8. Changes in Life Circumstances

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Life changes, such as marriage, parenthood, or career advancements, can lead to shifts in priorities and time availability. Friends might fall out if they can't adapt to these changes together. That’s often why new moms will gravitate towards fellow moms and prioritize those friendships.

9. Busy Schedules

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As people grow busier with work, family, and other commitments, they may unintentionally neglect their friendships, causing one or both parties to feel unimportant or overlooked. If this issue isn’t discussed and rectified, it can lead to a friendship fallout.

10. Gossip

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Engaging in gossip about a friend or spreading rumors can damage trust and lead to a falling out. It demonstrates a lack of respect and can harm a friend's reputation. Generally, it’s unkind to gossip about anyone, but especially friends who are dear to you.

11. Differing Priorities

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Friends may have different life goals and priorities, such as one wanting to travel the world while the other focuses on growing their family. These differences can cause a friendship to drift apart. Sometimes, it’s not a major conflict that drives a wedge into a friendship. It’s simply just the way life unfolds.

12. Personal Growth

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As individuals grow and change, their interests and priorities may shift. If these changes are substantial and no longer align with their friend's, it can lead to a falling out. In addition, sometimes therapy, growth, and self-awareness can lead someone to realize that they’ve outgrown their friends.

13. Lack of Effort

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A one-sided effort in maintaining the friendship can lead to resentment. When one friend feels like they're putting in all the work, it can strain the relationship. This is especially true if one friend continues to initiate plans, reach out over text, and ask how they’re doing. If the effort isn’t reciprocated, a fallout can happen.

14. Conflicts Over Hobbies

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Friends often share common interests or hobbies. Disagreements or competition within these shared activities can lead to a falling out. For example, if two friends enjoy playing tennis, but one is considerably more talented than the other, competition, jealousy, and resentment can grow.

15. Political or Ideological Differences

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Strong differences in political or ideological beliefs can create tension, especially in today's polarized climate. These differences can lead to heated arguments and strained friendships. Friendships can sometimes survive these differences, but it’s not always possible.

16. Disagreements Over Lifestyle Choices

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Choices related to lifestyle, such as dietary preferences, fitness routines, or living arrangements, can lead to conflict when friends don't see eye to eye. This is also true if one friend drinks more than the other, engages in dr*g use, or takes part in other activities that the other person does not.

17. Feeling Taken for Granted

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When one friend feels like they're being taken for granted, unappreciated, or used, it can damage their self-esteem and the friendship. This generally happens when one friend ends up being the one to offer help, encouragement, or a listening ear, and it’s not reciprocated.

18. Boundary Violations

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Respecting personal boundaries is crucial in any friendship. When one friend repeatedly crosses clear boundaries or makes the other uncomfortable, it can lead to a falling out. This is true of all interpersonal relationships. Boundaries should always be respected, no matter what.

19. Grudges

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Unresolved conflict from the past can fester and impact the current state of the friendship. Holding grudges or avoiding addressing previous problems can lead to falling outs. When unresolved issues from the past begin affecting a relationship, they should be discussed openly and transparently.

20. Feeling Unheard in the Friendship

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A friendship should involve mutual respect and active listening. When one friend constantly dominates the conversation or dismisses the other's feelings, it can lead to a falling out. If your friends are always listening to you vent, it’s important to ensure you’re offering them a listening ear, too.

21. Romantic Involvement with the Same Person

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Romantic entanglements between friends can lead to jealousy, hurt feelings, and conflicts, especially if both friends develop feelings for the same person. Love triangles are messy and complicated, and they’re often the reason that friendships deteriorate.

22. Family Conflict

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Family dynamics can sometimes interfere with friendships. Disagreements, rivalries, or family pressures can strain the friendship. Maybe one friend’s family doesn’t approve of the other friend, or both sets of parents have a long-standing conflict. This can make the friendship difficult to maintain.

23. Health Challenges

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Health issues or challenges can affect a friendship. For instance, if one friend neglects their health or criticizes the other's choices, it can lead to falling out. Or if one friend develops a chronic illness that changes the dynamic of the friendship, the other friend might not know how to hold space for them or extend empathy and compassion.

24. Work Competition

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If friends work together or are in the same industry, competition or conflicts related to work can affect their personal relationship. This is especially true if they work for the same company, compete for the same promotions, or talk openly about how much money they make.

25. Unresolved Conflict

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Lingering, unresolved conflicts or arguments can gradually weaken a friendship. If issues are not addressed and resolved, they can accumulate over time. That’s why it’s so important for conflict resolution to take place after an argument. Conflict should never be brushed under the rug and ignored.

26. Lack of Empathy or Emotional Support

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Friends often turn to each other for emotional support. If one friend consistently fails to provide empathy or comfort during difficult times, it can lead to a falling out. During each person’s lifetime, many tragedies are going to occur, both large and small. It’s extremely important for friends to have the ability to be supportive.

27. Character Differences

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Sometimes, character flaws or personality differences can become intolerable over time, causing friends to grow apart. For example, if one friend is very high energy and go-go-go, while the other friend is more laid-back and prioritizes relaxation, the friendship can feel draining.

28. Popularity

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Friends may compete for social status or popularity in certain social circles, and this competition can lead to feelings of insecurity and resentment. This is especially true of young girls in middle school and high school. Fortunately, this is less common in adult life.

29. New Friendships

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As individuals grow and evolve, they may find themselves drawn to new social circles or develop new friendships that align better with their current interests and values, causing them to drift away from old friends. This is another example of time naturally deteriorating certain friendships and fostering new ones.

30. Social Media Conflicts

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Online interactions and social media can sometimes lead to misunderstandings and conflicts, especially if one friend feels slighted or offended by the other's online behavior. Sometimes it’s as simple as forgetting to post about your friend’s birthday, and hurt feelings that can’t be resolved.