Friend doesn't acknowledge your help. is it a lack of respect to you?

Hard to say...lots of times, people ignore advice. Even when they need or want to change their situation, they still don't take action. I don't think it's anything personal towards you at all. Yeah, it sucks to have to sit idly by and watch your friend have a hard time, but there's only so much you can do. People just have to get to a point where they are really ready to take action, you can't do anything about that, that just has to happen on it's own.

That is the strangest way of offering a suggestion I have ever heard. Also if your advice is correct and your friend does not take it that is up to them. If they choose not to follow your advice and it ends badly that is all on them. Simply helping someone does not mean you earn that persons respect. Most people will use you and than stab you in the back the next minute.

Yes it is. I have gotten this a lot from people I know. I will everything for them and they still will not acknowledged I did anything for them. It is really irritating but I guess I am a push over and I just enjoy feeling useful. So I would help most people who came my way even if it was my worst enemy. Thinking back this is really stupid but knowing I fixed something gave me a sort of satisfaction. They would still treat me like shit, ignore and pick on me and the next minute tell me some drama with parents, boy/girlfriend or other friends. None of them really cared about any of my issues but I guess I was a little more put together. What is the most irritating is someone not realizing you did something apposed to those who know and just don't care. That it very aggravating.

If it were that easy, there would be no overweight people.

As a friend I dont have a lot to give but I can give time to listen, give my opinon and advice. I have a friend who is similar and I dont understand why she has to dump her issues on me if she doesnt even say thank you but I think I am going to do this instead. I wonder if that makes me a bad friend??

I can relate. In the end no matter what advice you give it's your friend's decision. I get your point. The issue is that he SAYS he'll take your advice and then he doesn't. It would be better if he was honest and just said he disagreed.

I agree with both wigs and thisissomuchfun. I had a similar situation where I was trying to help my best friend but every piece of advice I gave her she basically didn't do. Keep giving advice and still be there as a friend, lord knows it feels like its hard to find true friends these days. Eventually action will get taken, like wigs said it has to happen on its own.

I know a few people who prefer the sympathy they get from playing the victim, more so than the relief they would feel from actually doing something about their problems. It's normal, but annoying for everyone who actually cares about them.

Don't stop giving advice when it's asked for, but don't expect them to actually take it, and never take it personally if they don't.

What wigsplitz said.