Betrayal Stories

Questions people ask

Why is betrayal by a friend so disorienting?

Because friendships have no formal ending. There is no breakup conversation and no shared vocabulary for the loss, so people often grieve it quietly and feel odd for grieving at all.

Am I allowed to grieve a friendship?

Completely. Our guide to the stages of grief after a breakup applies to friendships too — the shock, the anger and the flat weeks arrive in the same untidy order.

What helps when I can't stop going over what they did?

Naming the loop and having something to do with it. The Recovery Companion notices the thoughts that keep returning and offers a short drill for them, rather than telling you to stop thinking.

Read the guide: The stages of grief after a breakup. Or start the 21-day Recovery Companion — a private daily plan for getting through this, free for three days.