Imagine struggling with your mental health so much that you can’t go out in public and can’t meet up with friends without having an anxiety attack.

Would you be honest with your friends about why you’re canceling plans, or would you lie to avoid questions and confrontations?

In this story, one woman is in this situation and decides to lie. Then she regrets it, but it seems that one friendship may be over forever.

Keep reading to see how things went so wrong.

You need book recommendations? Got it

Context: In May of this year I fell ill and had to go to a clinic for exhaustion depression and burn out symptoms.

Before that, I had been quite closed off and had isolated myself, which is a normal behaviour for my illness (I learned).

This also meant I didn’t check in with my friends or had to cancel plans last minute, because I would get panic attacks, if I went out.

Of course I would make up stupid excuses, because I was ashamed of myself.

She felt bad about lying to her friend.

A close friend had planned to leave to travel for six month in May and wanted to meet me before that.

I made up something why I couldn’t come, feeling guilty for not showing up for her.

Because we are Swiss, she never said anything, but she also never said goodbye on the day she left, which I totally understood.

This wasn’t the response she expected.

A few weeks into my clinic treatment, I decided to write to her and appologise for my behaviour, explaining what my situation had been.

She answered with asking me for book recommendations to read on her travels. She didn’t ask how I was or acknowledged my appology, but I thought, well she might still be a bit angry or disappointed.

So I gave her a few books to read and wished her all the best for her journey.

It sounds like therapy has been really healing.

Sadly, since then, my friend has never asked about how I have been or sent just a little hello.

She was MIA for several month.

I was a little disappointed, but I had also learned in therapy, that the aftermath of a breakdown can mean that you see who really are close friends and who aren’t.

I have been out of the clinic for a few weeks now, feeling soso much better and actually thriving.

Her friend wants MORE book recommendations.

Today, I got a message from my friend, asking for more book recommendations.

No ‘hi, how are you? Do you feel better?’ or anything, just ‘hey, Google, get me some good books’ (not literally, just the tone).

It made me giggle, because it was so absurd, but then I thought, how do I react?

Just giving her, what she wanted, seemed too ‘people pleasy’ and not reacting seemed to passive aggressive, because I’m not bothered, I just don’t give a (insert here).

She picked the books carefully.

So to FINALLY get to the point, I know she hates horror or even slightly uncanny stories.

So I recommended her books, that are ‘normal’ at the surface and end with a twist, that makes you gasp or haunt you for ever.

I know, it’s not much, but I think, I’m on a good path, to not be a push over anymore.

Plus, I am really interested, if she ever gets in touch with me again.

What is wrong with her friend? Actually, she doesn’t sound like a friend at all for pretty much ignoring her and never even asking how she’s doing.

The book recommendations were a good idea. I hope she reads them.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

Her friend was a fair-weather friend.

This person wants to know more about the books.

If only her friend could’ve said as much.

Another person can relate to this situation.

But this person gives the friend the benefit of the doubt.

The friend probably won’t ask for anymore book recommendations!

If you liked that story, read this one about grandparents who set up a college fund for their grandkid because his parents won’t, but then his parents want to use the money to cover sibling’s medical expenses.