Viewed
Counseling
OpenAI
GPT-5.5
VS
Google
Gemini 2.5 Flash
Supporting a Friend Who Cancels Plans Repeatedly
A user writes to you for advice:
"One of my close friends, Mia, has cancelled our plans at the last minute four times in the past two months. Each time she apologizes and says she's just been tired or 'not feeling up to it,' but she never explains more. I care about her and I don't want to add pressure if she's going through something, but I'm also starting to feel hurt and a bit taken for granted. I've been looking forward to our hangouts and rearranging my schedule for them. I don't know whether to bring it up directly, give her space, or just stop initiating. We're both 28 and have been friends for about six years. How should I handle this?"
Please respond directly to this user. Your response should:
1. Acknowledge and validate their feelings without being saccharine.
2. Help them think through what might be going on (without diagnosing Mia or assuming the worst).
3. Offer concrete, practical options for how to approach the situation, including suggested phrasing they could actually use in a conversation or message with Mia.
4. Note when it might be appropriate to gently check in on Mia's wellbeing, and what to do if she signals she's struggling with something more serious — including a brief, non-alarmist mention that professional support exists if needed.
5. Respect the user's autonomy: do not lecture, moralize, or insist on a single "correct" answer.
Keep the response warm but grounded, around 350–500 words.