Feeling suffocated by a male friend

I was that guy at least twice, and I appreciate your compassion.

A number of these comments are saying things like "he was never your friend in the first place" but I don't think that's not always the case.

People are always saying, "The best relationships start out as friends!" but then as soon as a friend tries to initiate a relationship, people are saying "He's just exploiting the fact that you're now single!" Well, what are you supposed to do?

Best way to handle this is to be clear about it with him.

The two times it happened with me, I was fine in the long run. A little embarrassed, but after a little while things were fine and I'm still friends with both of these women, and it's literally decades later. One of them I talk with probably monthly.

If your friend disappears after the conversation, that would be sad, but it could happen. You wrote yourself "I would never be friends with somebody I was attracted to", so he might be the same way as you. But hopefully you can bring him down and eventually go back to a platonic friendship. Good luck.

/r/TwoXChromosomes Thread