A sad thing in life is that sometimes friendships fall apart. Whether it’s due to conflicts within, or distance slowly creeping in, it’s always sad to become a stranger to a person who once was so close to you.

While some people deal with platonic breakups better, others have a difficult timeswallowingsuch a hard pill. The perfect example of the latter is an ex-friend of today’s OP. They fell out 7 years ago, but until this day, said friend can’t admit it. Her attempts to rekindle the friendship are so stubborn that it creeps the woman out, forcing her to wonder how to stop it.

More info:Mumsnet

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Two women in winter coats chatting on a snowy bench, symbolizing friendship and connection.

Image credits:Liza Summer / Pexels (not the actual photo)

A woman cut off her selfish friend after she never reached out to her during hard times, but always expected to be with her during the fun ones

Text about an ex-friend not letting go after seven years.

Text about an ex-friend with worsening behavior after 7 years, referencing tracking acquaintances for updates.

Text describing a lack of support from a former friend despite past help.

Text about a woman confronting issues with an ex-friend who tracks acquaintances for updates.

Woman looking concerned at phone, related to ex-friend tracking acquaintances.

Image credits:Alex Green / Pexels (not the actual photo)

A few days after she was blocked, the friend started reaching out to the woman, but she didn’t get an answer

Text discussing an ex-friend contacting mutual friends after seven years for updates.

Text detailing a woman’s actions of incessantly contacting acquaintances over seven years.

Text from a woman about an ex-friend tracking her acquaintances over 7 years.

Text about a woman’s persistent ex-friend contacting acquaintances for updates after 7 years.

A woman holding a smartphone, texting, while sipping coffee on a cozy couch.

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So, instead of taking a hint, she started reaching out to their mutual friends—and later to just any person who has contact with the woman

Text describing a woman’s ex-friend sending a photo from years ago.

Text expressing frustration about an ex-friend tracking acquaintances for updates after 7 years.

Text describing a woman’s concerns over an ex-friend who keeps seeking updates after seven years of no contact.

Text describing concerns about an ex-friend who keeps tracking acquaintances for updates.

Text expressing anxiety over a persistent ex-friend seeking updates.

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She went so far as to send old photos of the two, asking for them to be passed on, which massively creeped out the woman

Years ago, the OP cut off her friend, due to her selfishness. For instance, when the woman lost two close relatives, the friend didn’t even reach out to her. After all, when a person is grieving, agood friendshould be a shoulder for them to cry on, distracting them or doing anything else to make the process at least a tad more bearable. Yet, the OP didn’t get this from her long-time friend.

She didn’t reach out when the woman was mugged either, but was quick to curse her out when she wasn’t invited to her colleagues’ reunion (where she didn’t know anyone). So, you get the picture of what kind of afriendshe is.

Just three days after the OP blocked her, the woman reached out, leaving a breezyvoicemailjoking about their “little spat.” The original poster wasn’t planning to answer, hoping she’d take the hint and leave her alone. But that’s not what happened.

At first, the ex-friend started reaching out to their mutual friends, hoping they’d give the woman the message. Then, she started texting more and more distant connections. Her reaching out withmessageswasn’t simply to check in, no, it was to hassle them to learn more about the woman.

As you might’ve guessed, this quickly annoyed the people and they stopped answering her—some of them even blocked her. Still, she wouldn’t give up, even though it’s been seven years since she was blocked. SEVEN.

Three people leaning on a railing at night, one looking at the camera, representing friendship and distance over time.

Image credits:freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

So, if you put the original poster’slifein such cycles, it could be said that she already completed a full one after blocking her friend, who still doesn’t give up. Kind of creepy, isn’t it?

That’s what the OP thinks, too. This thought in her head was only reinforced when she learned that this friend was not only asking about her, but that she was also sending photos of them, hoping they’d be passed to the woman. Why would she want to look at photos that include a person who basically stalks her?

Unwanted contact that happens more than once can be consideredstalking. While this ex-friend doesn’t reach out to the woman herself (since she’s blocked—if she weren’t, who knows what would happen), she keeps texting her acquaintances to ask about her. Even if it would not be considered stalking (since she never made threats or went to the OP’s home or work), it could be viewed asharassmentfor sure.

So, that leaves the original poster wondering what should she do—contact the ex-friend to ask them to stop, go to law enforcement, or something else?

The netizens said that one thing is crystal clear here—she shouldn’t get in contact. It will only encourage her, so ignoring her (and telling their acquaintances to do the same) is the best option here. Unless her behavior escalates into something more intimidating. Well, all that’s left for us is to hope that it won’t, as the situation is already unsettling enough.

She went online to ask what she should do and netizens said that, in this situation, the best thing to do is go on ignoring her, since she’s not threatening or doing anything else that’s intimidating

Text from an ex-friend expressing frustration about repeated apologies over 7 years, feeling used for friendship validation.

Text conversation discussing concerns about an ex-friend who keeps tracking acquaintances for updates.

Comment suggesting to ignore persistent ex-friend and inform mutual acquaintances to stop updates.

Text from GloriousGoosebumps discussing why a woman’s ex-friend persists after 7 years, suggesting not to contact her.

Text conversation about sending a cease and desist letter to a woman’s ex-friend after seven years of unwanted contact.

Text comment discussing experiences with an ex-friend tracking updates.

Text exchange about a woman persistently seeking updates from acquaintances after 7 years.

Text discussing a woman’s ex-friend who keeps tracking acquaintances for updates after seven years.

Text message advice about dealing with an ex-friend tracking acquaintances.

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