Skip to main content Skip to bottom nav

My friend is always negative towards me. What do I do?

275 Answers
Last Updated: 05/14/2022 at 3:18am
My friend is always negative towards me. What do I do?
Take the first step toward feeling better
Begin your therapy journey today and receive $25 off (use code 25OFF7C)
Moderated by

Kacey Oliver, LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor

I specialize in depression and anxiety disorders. I offer warmth and compassion, cognitive behavioral therapy, along with mindfulness for a successful therapeutic outcome.

Top Rated Answers
Profile: incredible86
incredible86
March 15th, 2017 4:27pm
Ignore him. Because if you friend thinks wrong about you, you will feel bad. Feeling bad because of someone else is not helpful.
Profile: SpecialKae24
SpecialKae24
March 17th, 2017 5:07pm
Maybe you should talk to your friend in private, ask if there is anything wrong, and ask if there is anything you can do to make things better?
Profile: Leenient
Leenient
March 22nd, 2017 5:26am
You can try telling them how they're making you feel. Tell them as it is a problem you want to get rid of rather than as a personal attack towards your friend.
Profile: Louisa982
Louisa982
April 8th, 2017 1:31pm
Your friend may be struggling with an issue their self. Try asking your friend if anything is wrong and if they need some help.
Anonymous
April 21st, 2017 1:19am
Sometimes people act out in ways that they don't necessarily identify as being unhealthy or negative or don't realize they are acting out in such ways. Your friend needs support, compassion and to know that you will be there when he or she is ready to open up about what is causing this behavior towards you.
Profile: furrylittlefox
furrylittlefox
April 22nd, 2017 8:04pm
Sometimes when others are negative towards you, it's because something within them is not sitting right. The best way to go about such a situation is to talk about it with them.
Anonymous
April 27th, 2017 3:39am
I think that you should take her aside and ask her what's bothering her. It could be something at home that's making her act negatively. Perhaps she just needs somebody to talk to.
Profile: MarvoliartyListens
MarvoliartyListens
May 4th, 2017 1:33am
Tell them that it bothers you. If they continue to discredit your feelings after expressing them VERY clearly, I'd stop being their friend. You don't need negativity in your life when you run into enough on your own.
Profile: CrownOfStars
CrownOfStars
May 8th, 2017 8:59pm
Talk to them. Seems like a useless answer, but that's honestly the best thing you can do. It's possible that they don't even realize that they're being negative, or they don't realize that it's hurting you. Talk to them, and if that doesn't work, figure out a way to reduce the negativity, whether it be spending less time with that friend, or just being ridiculously positive whenever you talk to them, or something else.
Profile: Dana13
Dana13
May 17th, 2017 12:37am
You do not need negative people surrounding you or negativity overall. This 'friend' is not really your friend. Warn this friend about their behavior and if it is repeated then it is time for getting a new friend who will bring you up instead of being negative towards you.
Profile: AthulRJ
AthulRJ
May 17th, 2017 11:07am
Negative and positive depends on how you perceive things in your mind. Accept whatever he says and take a look at it from a different perspective. Always challenge yourself to be positive towards you and others around you. Always stay clear with a positive mindset and you will attract positive things in to your life. Do not try to correct him or point out that he is always negative towards you but changing your mindset and perspective is what you got to do. This will work.
Profile: warmCandy62
warmCandy62
May 20th, 2017 3:46am
If your friend is being negative, Sit down and have a talk with you friend on how you feel when they become negative around you. Figure out what is bothering them, if nothing is bothering them, be respectful and kindly say that you dislike how they are being towards you! If they get upset, let them get upset, but stay calm and have a calm tone that your not wanting to cause an Argument your just wondering why your friend is being like that towards you. If that doesn't work, then they obviously don't care about how you feel as a person.
Profile: GillianfromScotland
GillianfromScotland
June 8th, 2017 4:59pm
It can be difficult knowing why a friend is negative towards you, you may never know. They may be going through something difficult and find themselves taking it out on you, or they may be subconsciously reflecting how you feel. There is no right or wrong answer in how to deal with this but it is not something that should be left to fester. Explore how you feel and explore the options on how to move forward.
Profile: PeaaarlL
PeaaarlL
June 15th, 2017 9:25pm
It is important to communicate this issue with your friend, approaching them with curiosity rather than accusation. Allow them a chance to hear what you have been experiencing from them, and see if any resolutions can be made. If not, it may be time to re-evaluate the friendships in your life and see who falls into a category of toxic and healthy in the friend category.
Profile: LilSun
LilSun
June 23rd, 2017 9:57am
Talk to them. Ask them why are they always so negative and find out if there's a particular reason or if they have something bothering them and they don't know another way to cope with it. You can also ask them to be more positive because negativity is never a good thing. If they disregard all of that and your request for them to be more positive then you can consider stopping the friendship.
Profile: lamerbleue
lamerbleue
July 5th, 2017 2:05am
I think the best way is to try and talk to them. Being straight-forward avoids misunderstanding and confusion. It may not be you- it could also be something going on in their life. Talking to them could deepen your friendship and help your friend to open up more on what's going on.
Profile: cheerfulSnow78
cheerfulSnow78
July 8th, 2017 7:21pm
Try to sit and talk with your friend, tell her how you feel about what she does. How her actions make you feel a time of way.
Anonymous
July 15th, 2017 5:00pm
Confront them about how you feel with their behavior towards you. If they don't accept, leave them.
Profile: Norffiebear
Norffiebear
July 23rd, 2017 4:42pm
Well start by telling them that their negative behavior towards you is unacceptable & is causing you a lot upsets, If you cant confront them directly perhaps write them a letter if either options don't work sadly its probably best to say your Goodbyes to your friend & move onto to friends that really respect & encourage you rather acting negative towards you!
Profile: exquisiteWaterfall67
exquisiteWaterfall67
July 29th, 2017 11:43am
Try to talk to them about their negativity and why they're doing it. Listen and don't speak while they're talking to you. Tell them you understand why they're negative, and try to change for the better.
Profile: pantspants
pantspants
August 18th, 2017 9:35pm
Friends who are always negative to us, may have some things affecting them in their life, and could want some help or are looking for an escape, we can always try to talk to them about this situation and see if their is anything we can do or fix the relationship.
Anonymous
September 3rd, 2017 10:19pm
Have a conversation and ask that person for a reason. Consider your friendship. Is there a reason why this person treats you that way? Maybe that person is stressed or not feeling good. Try to understand your friend.
Anonymous
September 22nd, 2017 7:05am
If you think that you have done well with them, Be with them in their time of their needs then you have nothing to do more for them.If they still thinks about you negatively, just let them behave negatively. you don't need to bother about them. Do good and the good will comes to you...
Profile: Harrypotterswife
Harrypotterswife
November 3rd, 2017 2:03pm
The best thing you could do is being honest with her, confront her and tell her that you do not apreciate the fact that she's always so negative, either she tones it down, or you stop talking to her for a moment till she calms down. Don't let her get to you .
Profile: vegetables
vegetables
November 10th, 2017 10:13am
I would speak with my friend. There must be a valid reason why they are acting negatively towards me (and only me).
Profile: Mityvac
Mityvac
November 16th, 2017 4:11pm
Maybe talk to them. It never hurts to have a friendly conversation with your friends. Talk to them about it.
Profile: lovelygalaxy0820
lovelygalaxy0820
November 22nd, 2017 4:46am
Start off by asking your friend why they are so negative. It's really difficult to understand someone's point of view if they aren't honest about it. If they are really a good friend to you, and not someone who only is around for your use to them, they will understand the way they treat you is not fair, and will hopefully change their behaviors. If they react to your questioning of them with hate and scorn, they are not a friend to you, and you are better off without them in your life. Friends are not there to use, abuse, and toss you away. They are there to enjoy things with you, find happy and friendly company, and share good experiences, or be help when you need it. Don't accept someone's toxic behavior just because you've been around them for long enough.
Anonymous
November 29th, 2017 8:24pm
speak to your friend tell them how you feel and how the their acting towards you is making you feel and see if you can resolve the matter
Anonymous
December 1st, 2017 9:14pm
In friendship, honesty is ever the best policy. Have an honest discussion with them about how you're feeling. If you can do this while focusing on your feelings instead of their actions, it's for the best. Criticizing another person is never easy, but if you do it in a non-judgmental way, it is almost always better received. For example, say, "Sometimes I feel sad because of comments you make. Is there something I'm doing that's making you say these things? I want to do what I can to fix the problem to keep our friendship strong." In that case, you're letting them know that their negativity is affecting you, but you're also telling them that you're willing to work with them to get to a better place in your friendship!
Profile: SourButSweetCandy
SourButSweetCandy
December 2nd, 2017 11:42am
I see that you're feeling sad about this situation, is there any reason that makes him/her act this way? Does he act like this with everyone or just with you? anyhow, we cannot control other people's feelings and thoughts, but try to talk to him about it in a friendly way. hope this helped