Saying No to a Friend


DTKinetic's avatar
I guess this might sound like a childish situation--but would anyone here think it's possible to spend too much time with friends? Is it selfish to prefer time alone?

I have a good friend who seems like he wants to hang out every time there's a break in his schedule. He doesn't have much money to spend on fun, so hanging out doesn't consist of movies, food or bowling, etc. Usually it's offbeat places like WalMart to get groceries, or an Auto Store to pick up something to help maintain his truck...and when he invites me to these places, a lot of the times I go, but usually it's just a dry experience. I've said "no" before, but his persistence usually leads us to the story that I don't have a real excuse not to go *besides the fact I just don't want to.

What really sparked me into writing this, was having a sleepover with another good friend of mine, he stayed Friday night into Saturday. I haven't seen him in a couple months, we had a great time, but it was supposed to last until 1 PM and I planned accordingly, but he kept asking if he could stay longer...2 then 3, then 3:30, 4 (which is what happened). Again, I and my family had nothing planned, and he REALLY wanted to stay--but I was just getting tired--so would it have been rude of me to say no? Does this make me an inconsiderate person? :worry:
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Vulpimo's avatar
Tell him you need some space.
Vulpimo's avatar
And he will give you a piece of a meteorite xD
IMDSound's avatar
Saying no to a friend can be one of the hardest things to do. But once you get past the hurdle, I think you'll find that your friendship, maybe even life, in general will benefit from being more assertive. If they're really your friend they will understand. It's not selfish to have alone time, everyone needs it especially artists. Just have tact, say it so that you won't hurt their feelings, ya know?
DTKinetic's avatar
I hear you loud and clear :nod:
audaxursi's avatar
There are two perspectives on this question. One is your friend's perspective, and one is your perspective. If your friend asked me about the situation, I would tell your friend that he should not impose on you, because it isn't nice. But because you're asking the question, I will respond differently:

In my own life I have had this same problem. This is what I discovered: the best path to take is to say yes to your friends, except in the condition that saying yes to them makes you a worse person, or causes you to fail in your own responsibility. I had a friend who constantly asked me to hang out with him. but after hanging out with him too much, I felt like I was turning into someone very unpleasant. So now when he asks to hang out, I hang out with him for a set amount of time, and then I say 'no', I say goodbye and I don't accept anything he says to the contrary.

The reason for this is, that you really don't know the circumstances of the other person, and so a slight inconvenience to yourself could mean a world of difference to them.

Also, particularly because you're a Christian, I say my advice is best, because it's what Christ taught: If someone asks you to walk a mile with them, walk two miles
DTKinetic's avatar
Thank you for sharing your experience on this. And I have actually came to the same conclusion in your second paragraph when I started noticing that saying yes was counterproductive towards my mood and having a good time. So I would notice that I was turning bitter and quiet although I did my absolute best to hide that from my friends although it didn't work too well. So that sounds like a good rule to abide by.

And I appreciate the Scripture at the end, it makes for good advice as well :thumbsup:
singagainsoon's avatar
You aren't being rude at all. There was a girl I knew a few years back that I was sort-of friends with. She got very attached to me and would stalk me online, call my house literally thirty times in under fifteen minutes, textbomb my phone, and otherwise stalk me. She found out what my email address was, and kept sending me emails if I didn't respond to her quick enough, or at all. She didn't understand when I tried explaining to her that I needed some time by myself. After a while, she got very rude towards me, constantly insulting me or putting me down when I was going through a tough time in my life. I asked her nicely to leave me alone for a while, but she couldn't take a hint that I didn't need to hear her insults and petty complaints because I was dealing with other things. When I wanted to spend time with other people, she would cry and make a scene, claiming that I was ignoring her. Finally, I told her bluntly (but politely) not to talk to me anymore.

Honesty is the best policy. Easier said than done, though. Don't let your friend push you around. There are more things in your life than just him, and you need time to do what you want.
DTKinetic's avatar
Ouch, that sounds pretty extreme =( Well, at least that sounds like that's in the past now.
singagainsoon's avatar
Yeah, it was pretty bad. Kinda like something in one of those over-dramatized television shows, except it was real D;

It's all done, and I don't regret it. She kept trying to get me to take back my decision and said things like "oh don't do something you'll regret later" and "are you sure you want to end out friendship because you're being stupid?" She wasn't a real friend at all, and I'm glad I ended it.

Long story short, some people need to be told things bluntly or they won't ever take a hint. I hope everything works out with your friend c:
Disappearing-Inkwell's avatar
all i can say is simply, if you say no and he is a real friend he will be ok with it.
DTKinetic's avatar
Sounds good, I hope so :thumbsup:
kath-paints's avatar
No, it is not inconsiderate to indulge others in this way; it is rude for people to outstay their welcome. It is rude for people to expect that after entertaining them for some time already, you don't have anything better to do than continue to entertain them. It is rude for people to expect any sort of justification "oh yeah, what are you doing then?" when you say you have other things to do. It's none of their buisness what your plans are and there is no standard to which your plans have to be held. If your plans are to loaf and watch TV and appreciate your alone time then that's valid. People need off hours to recharge and just not see anyone for a while.

I completely understand how hard it can be though. We had a freind who had a sad and difficult home life, and we always tried to make a space for him in our freindship group... but he made it really hard. One of my freinds had known him for longer and her mum used to let him come and go out of their house as he needed. Years later her mum moved out and I moved in and we were renting the third room... and he still thought he could come whenever and stay as long as he liked. If I was busy he would ask what I was doing, as though I needed to justify not giving up my time for him. He'd turn up in my living room and put videos on his computer while I was listening to stuff, or not go away when I wanted to go to bed and had to stay up to lock the door after him "I don't mind!" he would say. He'd wait outside if we were not home, and the neighbours started to get concerned about him lurking. And he was completely oblivious. It was impossible to explain to him why I didn't want him there constantly.

It made me feel like a terrible freind because I know he had real problems and that was why he didn't want to go to his own house but he started to become a real imposition. It got to the point where I would hide from him if I saw him on the street because I knew he would follow me where I was going, invite himself back to my house, and then not leave.


Well anyway. You've not done anything rude. People like that seem to have an inability to pick up on social cues, so you may need to learn to be blunter. When it comes to time for them to leave, tell them sincerely that you had a good time, say lets do this again soon, start helping them find all their stuff, and then see them to their ride. It will feel like shit brushing off their protestations while you usher them off but ultimately a good freind is one that you CAN be frank with.
DTKinetic's avatar
Aww wow, thanks for sharing your experiences and your thoughts behind this, just from reading that I know it could be quite some trouble having to manage with it. =( But friends also need to acknowledge other people's rules and know their boundaries, like just because my friend comes over my house he thinks he's free to get anything out of the fridge when he wants :stare:
I hope in the meantime things can work out in your situation and with your friend as well =)
shadee's avatar
Just tell them you have other plans. No need to elaborate. Your plans are none of their business and plans can range from having a meet up with someone else to eating popcorn in your underpants at home.
DTKinetic's avatar
Lol, nice example :XD: Makes sense to me.
Wyntry's avatar
Well, I have a similar situation. My friends that I am doing the comic with? Yep.. same thing. Now that a gf and she has 3 kids, they don't know how to cope sometimes with the fact that when I am not with work, I am with her. Now, it was like this before all this, but when it comes down to it...You have to have time for you. That is a given fact. I was told that I think about others too much. So, I try to get at least 1-2 days where its just 'me' (all by myself) time.
Ask for space, and if you can't get it, then tell them you will do it and enforce. Some friends can be childish when they don't get their way, but theyll get the hint that you still want to be friends as long as you spend some time with them.
DTKinetic's avatar
That sounds logical, and I'm glad you can relate :nod:
Wyntry's avatar
that I have a gf*
AdorableDynamite's avatar
It's not wrong at all to request time away from a friend. Even married people need time apart, so who's to say friends cannot? You have no reason to feel inconsiderate to brush him off! You really should only feel inconsiderate if you brushed him off when he really needed you (not I said needed, not wanted...)

I'm left curious as to whether or not this guy has any other friends... If he's spending as much time as you have left me thinking, maybe you are all he has right now, and if that is the case, I don't blame him for doing what he's doing. There have times where I felt only one person really cared and so I would cling to him/ her. If you want him to make more friends, why not introduce him to your friends?

Just remember that you are entitled to your own space and that it is not selfish. When telling him to go away, be polite, but firm.
DTKinetic's avatar
You make a good point there.

I've started wondering that too, I think the truth is is that may be the case. Although I have been talking with this one guy (let's call him Randy) who used to (and probably still would) hang out with my friend but for some reason my friend is no longer interested in hanging out with Randy...kind of like some inception :lol: (Hope that wasn't confusing :XD:)

But yeah, that is a good suggestion. Bring my friend along to some party or group meet or something and get some other friends that way =P
AdorableDynamite's avatar
I'm happy to hear I could have helped you.Let me know how it turns out, and if worsens and you need more advice, don't hesitate to ask. Good luck to both of you.
2lazy2talk's avatar
I have amny friends like that...I thinks it's because we have hobbies and they don't.