I have kept a cruel secret from my mate - is it too late to tell him?

A woman has been slammed for keeping a 'cruel' secret from her best friend for years - but she fears there's 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 odour problem' the whole time.

'I am not exaggerating when I say it is a REALLY bad smell. I am not trying to be rude or funny, it truly is unbearable,' the woman revealed on Reddit.

She has often thought of bringing up the issue but her friend's mental health problems have given her pause.  

'He struggles with severe depression. I am terrified to tell him that he smells and he takes that as his last straw.

'We are close, and I cherish our friendship very much. I love him so I want him to be well, and this would be the first step toward getting better.'

But she's worried about overstepping because of her gender.

'I, as a woman, do not feel it is appropriate to talk about a man's body odor. I feel like that's a job for a bro.'

She added, 'The only other people in our friend group are also women so we all are in this awkward position. He does not have any other friends.'

She also said that her friend is seeking professional help for his depression and has been doing better in recent months.  

Many people criticised her for remaining silent about her friend's body odour.

'If you smell it, everyone does, and eventually someone is going to tell him in a way that will hurt him. You have the power to tell him in a way of someone who truly cares about him, and maybe you can help him with it,' one said.

'If I was known as a smelly person and the people closest to me didn't say anything I'd feel so betrayed,' a man shared. 'Five years is a long time.' 

'You need to do it. It doesn't matter if you're a woman, you're a friend,' a third added. 

'In the same way I'd want my friends to tell me if there was something in my teeth, I'd want to know if I stank,' another wrote. 

'It's not your responsibility but do you feel okay knowing you're the not the only person thinking this way while your friend has no idea?'

But a few said the situation was nuanced.

'This is a very sensitive subject and the call out could make them withdraw more and revert backwards. They're getting help and if it's working, things like hygiene should improve, but if it doesn't - I think a few subtle hints wouldn't hurt,' one said.