Struggling with friends who mimic everything you do without your knowledge? Looking for tips on handling copycat behavior from female pals? Learn how to navigate this challenging situation with ease and grace! #copycatfriends #dealingwithimitation #frienshipdrama
How to Handle Female Friends Who Secretly Copy Everything You Do
Identifying the Behavior
– Pay attention to subtle imitations in actions, style, and even language.
– Trust your gut if you feel like someone is mirroring you excessively.
Approach with Empathy
– Understand that imitation may stem from admiration or insecurity.
– Communicate calmly to express how their behavior makes you feel.
Set Boundaries
– Gently let your friend know that you appreciate their admiration but require space for individuality.
– Clearly communicate your discomfort with their mirroring behavior.
Focus on Mutual Growth
– Encourage your friend to explore their unique interests and talents.
– Suggest activities that can help them build their identity outside of copying others.
Remember, it’s essential to address copycat behavior without damaging the friendship. By approaching the situation with empathy and open communication, you can navigate this challenge while strengthening your bond with your friend. #friendshipadvice #empatheticcommunication #individualityiskey
Well, if it’s a secret, I probably don’t notice.
If I do notice, I generally wouldn’t worry about it because people are allowed to make similar choices or like the same things. I think I make good choices, so I’m not mad if someone else came to the same one.
If it was so much that it became weird or felt threatening, I’d distance myself from them and potentially go no contact.
Me too! I’m actually a conglomerate of every cool woman I’ve ever met. That’s how we figure out what we like and we don’t, we try it out and keep what we like.
Nothing is new under the sun, so being upset that someone else likes/does the same things I do is a whole lot of wasted energy.
The obvious exception would be if they like…got surgery to look like me or tried to copy my exact life. That’s weird. But when I tell my friends “omg you have to listen to this song/watch this movie/read this book/try this brand of tights/etc” and they then become obsessed with it too, we can enjoy together! And they can recommend stuff that I’ll probably like back, so double the cool things I get to experience! That’s winning.
Someone who straight up copies me (and doesn’t just take random inspiration) I just go no contact with. Clearly there’s a bunch of underlying issues there, and unless they start to feel threatening, I mostly feel sorry for them. But it’s not my problem to sort out, and not having ill intentions isn’t an excuse for having an obsession or making someone else/me uncomfortable.
I’ve had it happen once, and when I got weirded out and cut her off, she completely abandoned “my” identity that she’d adapted, and instead started copying another friend until she also had enough and yeeted her from her life. They won’t stop without a kind of professional help you can’t offer.
I’ve had one friend in the past who did this too much. Copying some of your interests can be flattering, but there is a point where it feels like the person doesn’t have a personality of their own, or worse, that they aren’t being true to who they are around you. If I feel like I can’t get to know the “real you”, I will never fully trust you or let my guard down around you and the friendship is likely to taper off if you become a parrot to me and the only thing I ever hear when I have a thought is total agreement – it feels too fake to me.
Tell her to stop because I’m a disaster
Pick someone successful or awesome to emulate
I had a friend like this in high school and I eventually just stopped talking to her a few years ago for so many reasons beyond copying. At first it wasn’t a big deal and was easily ignored but she had a real nasty habit of trying to one up all her friends, especially me.
It started to bother me when we showed up to school wearing the exact same leggings. Ones that I had first and people asked me if I was trying to copy her. Drew the line at our hair for senior pics. I showed her the cut and color I wanted, and she showed me hers. Vastly different. So when I saw her posting her senior pictures with the hair that I was gonna get it really pissed me off. I stopped sharing everything with her, so everything I did was a “you didn’t tell me you were gonna do _”
Like yeah cause if I did then magically you were doing the exact same thing.
Petty teen stuff really but no less irritating
Hey if they think copying a middle-aged post-menopausal woman who basically lives in leggings and old tshirts is the cool thing to do, more power to them!
I just deal with it.
Everytime she copies you make some remarks about it but not too obvious and not too kind
Been there and i had a friend that literally repeated what i say after some harsh remarks she stopped and i distanced myself from her cuz if i wanted a parrot i could’ve bought one.
Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery
i jump into the river while they are watching and pretend to not make it.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I’m obviously doing something right.