Should I Be Blamed for Not Giving My Best Friend Dating Advice? | AITA

A 28-year-old woman thought she was doing the right thing when her best friend, Sarah, asked for dating advice. The problem? Sarah didn’t want a pep talk, she wanted a performance review of her relationship, and OP gave her something way more “you decide” than “I decide.”

Sarah had been dating a guy for a few months, and things started getting rocky. She came to OP, laid out her relationship issues, and OP listened, offered an honest take, then told her to follow her heart and make the choice that felt right for her. Sarah seemed a little disappointed, but the real gut punch hit a week later, when OP found out Sarah was upset and felt she didn’t support her enough.

Now OP is stuck wondering if she was too hands-off, or if Sarah expected loyalty in the form of agreement.

Original Post

So, I (28F) have this best friend (26F), let's call her Sarah. Sarah's been dating a guy for a few months, and things were going well until recently.

She came to me for advice on some relationship issues they were having. I listened, gave my honest opinion, but told her ultimately she should follow her heart to make the decision that feels right for her.

Sarah seemed a bit disappointed with my response but didn't say much. Fast forward a week, and I find out she's upset and feels I didn't support her enough.

I'm confused because I thought I was being a good friend by letting her make her own choices. So, AITA?

I just wanted to respect her independence and decision-making, but now she's mad.

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It’s a similar mess to a friend asking for advice after their partner cheated, and getting denied.

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OP listened to Sarah’s relationship problems and gave her a straight, honest opinion, then still told her to follow her heart.

Even though Sarah looked disappointed in the moment, OP assumed that was just her processing the advice.

A week later, OP hears Sarah is mad, claiming she didn’t get enough support after OP said she should make her own decision.

The whole argument boils down to whether OP’s “independence” was real help or the exact kind of support Sarah wanted from her best friend.

Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section.

OP might not be the villain, but Sarah definitely wanted a different kind of friend.

Wondering if Sarah’s dating advice backfired too, read what happened with her crush in this AITA about dating advice that caused tension.