Friend Spending Hundreds on Curse Services After Breakup Raises Concerns
A person is concerned that their friend has spent over $500 on Etsy services from self-proclaimed witches to curse her ex-fiancé following a difficult breakup. An advice columnist suggests the spending itself may not be problematic if it fits the friend's budget and interests, but recommends monitoring whether the behavior indicates unhealthy obsession or detachment from reality. The core issue is whether the friend is using curse-casting as a healthy coping mechanism or as a sign she needs support to move forward.
A reader wrote to Slate's advice column expressing concern that their friend "Sarah" has spent over $500 commissioning curses from Etsy-based practitioners against her ex-fiancé "James" following the end of their engagement in January. The letter writer worried the friend was being exploited by scammers during a vulnerable time. Advice columnist Jenée Desmond-Harris reframed the spending as potentially comparable to other forms of self-care like salon visits or weekend trips, suggesting it may not be inherently problematic if it fits within the friend's budget and aligns with her existing interests in metaphysical practices. However, the columnist flagged genuine concerns if the curse-commissioning represents a departure from the friend's normal behavior, suggests detachment from reality, or indicates an unhealthy obsession with harming her ex that interferes with her ability to move on. The columnist recommended checking in on the friend and suggesting therapy as a more constructive way to process the difficult breakup.
What different sources said
- SlateLeft
My Friend Ended Her Engagement. But Now She’s Paying People Who Say They’ll Do Something Ridiculous to Her Ex.
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