The friend who told you the hard truth about your ex was risking the friendship to protect you. That’s rare.

Honesty has a cost and the person paying it is usually the one speaking. Saying the unwelcome thing about somebody you are attached to means they might lose you or resent being right, and most people stay quiet. A friend who tells you anyway has decided your situation matters more than their comfort.

Think about who has risked something to tell you the truth, and let them know the risk was noticed. If you brushed it off at the time, go back and say what you have since worked out. Then be careful not to punish them for it, because that is how people stop telling you.