I had that friend in junior high and high school. She was the leader, she made the plans, she decided what was cool and what was stupid. I don't know why I followed along so willingly. Maybe I just liked someone else taking control. Or, being the youngest in a big family, I was happy to defer to her strong opinions for the sake of harmony. When I was 14, I fell and tore the ligaments in my ankle. I had to go to the hospital and I was on the couch totally non weight bearing for a week and on crutches for several months. It was a bad injury. I missed her birthday party because I was in the hospital. She was mad. She didn't visit me the entire time I was stuck at home, and told all our friends that I was faking it, or being overly dramatic about a twisted ankle. Somehow, her being annoyed that I nearly broke my leg rather than sympathetic to my pain made me realize what a jerk she was being! Whe I was 15 I started dating a guy in our school and she got huffy and stopped talking to me. I didn't know what had set her off but I was done
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so you learned to like what she liked, told yourself that it was your own idea. That really does sound like emotional abuse, even if the 'friend' didn't intend it that way. Being so overbearing that you force people to forego their own likes/dislikes just to keep from setting you off... you're controlling them and tacking down all the corners of their individuality, whether you realize it or not.
I'm glad you've escaped that person, and are feeling free to be yourself now.
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That really does sound like emotional abuse, even if the 'friend' didn't intend it that way. Being so overbearing that you force people to forego their own likes/dislikes just to keep from setting you off... you're controlling them and tacking down all the corners of their individuality, whether you realize it or not.
I'm glad you've escaped that person, and are feeling free to be yourself now.
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