Ask Rene: When Your Friend Asks For Advice Then Ignores It!

Ask Rene:
When Your Friend Asks For Advice Then Ignores It!

Hi Rene:

A dear friend of mine is always calling and asking my advice on how to handle her personal problems with her boyfriend. I know I give good advice to her and she’ll say she agrees with me and that I’m right but for some reason she ends up calling and asking for more advice about the same thing if not worse. Should I keep giving her advice she’s not going to use or should I stop and tell her to handle her own problems or Ask Rene the next time she needs and or wants help?

Signed:

Out of Answers

Dear Out of Answers:

Oooh I know that’s frustrating on a couple of different levels. But you answered your own question right there at the end of your email. You’re going to have to tell your friend to take care of her own man issues and here why.

1. She's Passive Aggressive

Image 1 of 3

I’m no psychologist but ugh, this is one of the personality traits that drive me insane! Your friend initially appears enthusiastic about your advice but then doesn’t take it. I attribute that to two things; she is either afraid to take action and says yes just to get you off her back or she’s really angry (at the situation or at you) and instead of expressing that anger in a forthright manner, it seeps out in subtle yet dangerous ways. I know people like that and it’s frustrating and tiring to deal with them. Ask yourself; do you have the energy to keep up with that?