The Student Room Group

do i have the right to be upset?

my friend used to hit me and slap me in front of people during school to be funny and i opened up to them about how it ****ed me up and embarrassed me. it's the reason i flinch around fast movements and sounds. when i explained hoping for an apology their first response was around the lines of 'i did it because I'm autistic. I'm not using it as an excuse but it's a reason. But I'm sorry'. It made me really upset because I dont want a reason I just want an apology. I wish they had just apologised without throwing in autism? It made me really angry and I said 'why cant you just apologise without bringing that into it?' and they said I was ableist. I have a disability myself so this rubbed me the wrong way. I don't actually know if they have autism but they started saying it around a year ago and the friend group has all collectively agreed to change the way we act around them to support them. I can give more information but this is roughly the situation.
Reply 1
another thing to note is they were still hitting me like this until a few weeks ago when they did it in front of their mum and I started crying. They are now in university and I'm in college so it's not like we're children.
Yes, you have the right to be upset.
Yes, you have every right to be upset, and it is inevitable. A friend that abuses you, is no friend at all.
Yes.
Are you sure that you want to continue being friends with such a thuggish jerk?
I wouldn't.
Reply 5
There is a difference between giving a reason for why you did what you did and also acknowledging that you hurt the person unintentionally, and trying to excuse the behavior. This sounds more like the latter, giving an excuse followed up with a "but Im sorry" does not sound sincere. And then turning the card and calling you ablest when you brought that up.
Yes, you have a right to be upset, I would not continue to hang around someone who has a habit of hitting and punching.
Reply 6
Original post by Foxehh
There is a difference between giving a reason for why you did what you did and also acknowledging that you hurt the person unintentionally, and trying to excuse the behavior. This sounds more like the latter, giving an excuse followed up with a "but Im sorry" does not sound sincere. And then turning the card and calling you ablest when you brought that up.
Yes, you have a right to be upset, I would not continue to hang around someone who has a habit of hitting and punching.

The problem is that we are a friend group of 3 and the 3rd friend we have also agrees with this person that I was being ableist. It honestly hurt in my gut that they said that because the two of them have hardly ever taken my disability seriously. I suffer with chronic fatigue syndrome diagnosed for about 5 years now and they are always making jokes out of me for being lazy and using it as an excuse to lay in bed. My chronic pains are horrible and it effects me daily so it was like a big punch in the face that they said that.
Reply 7
Original post by Anonymous
The problem is that we are a friend group of 3 and the 3rd friend we have also agrees with this person that I was being ableist. It honestly hurt in my gut that they said that because the two of them have hardly ever taken my disability seriously. I suffer with chronic fatigue syndrome diagnosed for about 5 years now and they are always making jokes out of me for being lazy and using it as an excuse to lay in bed. My chronic pains are horrible and it effects me daily so it was like a big punch in the face that they said that.

Situations like these never end well when other friends pick sides when they werent involved.
It sounds like theres been quite a bit building, its not just this one incident then? Have you spoken to them about this? Not accused or attacked them, but explained how hurtful their comments are at times and how it affects you? If you havent, that would be a good start.
(edited 3 years ago)
Reply 8
Original post by Foxehh
Situations like these never end well when other friends pick sides when they werent involved.
It sounds like theres been quite a bit building, its not just this one incident then? Have you spoken to them about this? Not accused or attacked them, but explained how hurtful their comments are at times and how it affects you? If you havent, that would be a good start.

This all started when their mum said to them 'the doctors thought you had autism when you were a kid' and literally sinse then I guess we have just all assumed they have it I guess?? I dont know anything about a diagnosis and I dont mind self-diagnosing if you are 100% sure and are unable to access healthcare at the time. But I don't think that gives the right for them to put autism over my disability.

I first asked them to stop making jokes about my hair, as i suffered with really bad thinning after my stress from depression last year and when I opened up to them about it. They stopped for the most part but now and then they still throw it in which hurts. They also joke about my skin being bad which they know has been an insecurity my whole life. Another thing is that both these friends suffer badly with worries about their weight. After all these different jokes they make about my insecurities and me asking them to stop it made me wonder how they would react if I retaliated. I made a joke about liking my waist shape (i didnt mention their bodies whatsoever) they told me that joke made them want to (tw suicide) k*ll themself and that it was a disgusting joke to make. I literally didnt even mention them in it at all....I'm assuming that it's just impossible to set boundaries now and that I will forever be the one to make fun of in the group
yes u have the right to be upset

and considering that u told them that u dont like them hitting u and they still continued to do it.. if i were u, i wouldnt be friends with this person anymore
Reply 10
Original post by Anonymous
This all started when their mum said to them 'the doctors thought you had autism when you were a kid' and literally sinse then I guess we have just all assumed they have it I guess?? I dont know anything about a diagnosis and I dont mind self-diagnosing if you are 100% sure and are unable to access healthcare at the time. But I don't think that gives the right for them to put autism over my disability.

I first asked them to stop making jokes about my hair, as i suffered with really bad thinning after my stress from depression last year and when I opened up to them about it. They stopped for the most part but now and then they still throw it in which hurts. They also joke about my skin being bad which they know has been an insecurity my whole life. Another thing is that both these friends suffer badly with worries about their weight. After all these different jokes they make about my insecurities and me asking them to stop it made me wonder how they would react if I retaliated. I made a joke about liking my waist shape (i didnt mention their bodies whatsoever) they told me that joke made them want to (tw suicide) k*ll themself and that it was a disgusting joke to make. I literally didnt even mention them in it at all....I'm assuming that it's just impossible to set boundaries now and that I will forever be the one to make fun of in the group

Your frustration is very understandable, you should speak to them about it and reassess the friendship from there. If they brush you off or continue making you the butt of the joke then I would consider finding new friends, they dont seem to be very sensitive towards you and you dont word your posts like you enjoy being around them. Theres not much of a reason to stay friends if they're constantly making you feel bad about yourself and unwilling to hear you out when you bring it up with them.

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