A clinical psychologist has outlined four key signs that indicate someone may not wish to continue a friendship, offering advice for those questioning their relationships as the new year begins.
Dr Christie Ferrari, who shares insights on friendships and parenting with her 541,000 Instagram followers, said the first sign is when someone is friendly in passing but shows no further interest. 'Friendly when you run into them, but it doesn't extend beyond that,' she explained.
The second sign is multiple unanswered texts over time, which Dr Ferrari said signals the person is 'not opting into the friendship'. A third indicator is that the person never texts first or suggests plans, while the fourth is a lack of effort to reconnect after a period of distance. 'They let it stay,' she noted.
Dr Ferrari also described 'mean girl' behaviours, such as repeatedly hinting at plans but failing to follow through, or periodically pulling someone back in with compliments and warmth only to drop them again. 'The red flag isn't disinterest. It's confusion, inconsistency, and subtle exclusion,' she wrote.
