A woman has been criticized for keeping a “cruel” secret from her best friend for years, but fears there is no polite way to tell him the truth without ruining their friendship.
The two 20-year-olds have been friends for five years and the man has had a “body odor problem” the entire time.
‘I’m not exaggerating when I say it’s a REALLY bad smell. “I’m not trying to be rude or funny, it’s really unbearable,” the woman revealed on Reddit.
She has often thought about bringing up the topic, but her friend’s mental health issues have given her pause.
‘He struggles with severe depression. I’m terrified of telling him it smells bad and he takes it as the last straw.
‘We are very close and I greatly appreciate our friendship. “I love him, so I want him to be well and this would be the first step to getting better.”
But she worries about overdoing it because of her gender.
‘I, as a woman, don’t think it’s appropriate to talk about a man’s body odour. I feel like it’s a job for a brother.”
A woman has been criticized for keeping a “cruel” secret from her best friend for years
He added: “The only other people in our friend group are also women, so we’re all in this awkward position.” He has no other friends.’
He also said his friend is seeking professional help for his depression and has improved in recent months.
Many people criticized her for staying silent about her friend’s body odor.
“If you smell it, everyone smells it, and eventually someone will tell you in a way that will hurt you.” You have the power to tell him as someone who really cares about him, and maybe you can help him with that,’ one said.
“If I was known as a smelly person and the people closest to me didn’t say anything, I would feel very betrayed,” one man shared. “Five years is a long time.”
‘You have to do it. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a woman, you’re a friend,” added a third.
“The same way I’d like my friends to tell me if I have something in my teeth, I’d like to know if it stinks,” wrote another.
‘It’s not your responsibility, but do you feel good knowing that you’re not the only person thinking this way while your friend has no idea?’
But some said the situation was nuanced.
‘This is a very sensitive issue and the call could cause them to withdraw further and back away. “They are getting help and if it works, things like hygiene should improve, but if not, I think a few subtle tips wouldn’t hurt,” one of them said.