I thought having only a few close friends meant something was wrong with me - then I realized I'd spent years being everyone else's emotional support - Silicon Canals

""Everyone needs something," he said, rubbing his temples. "Advice about their divorce, help with their career crisis, someone to listen to their anxiety about their kids. I feel like I'm running an unpaid therapy practice.""

"I recognized myself in his exhaustion, except I'd been living it for so long that I'd forgotten it wasn't normal. I'd spent the better part of two decades being everyone's emotional support system, mistaking being needed for being connected."

"The problems evolved from bad dates and exam stress to divorces, job losses, and aging parents. I became a repository for other people's pain, always available, always ready with perspective."

Maintaining close friendships can be challenging, with many feeling overwhelmed by the emotional demands of others. The experience of being a go-to person for support can lead to exhaustion and a mistaken belief that being needed equates to being connected. This pattern often begins in university and continues into adulthood, where the nature of problems shifts from minor issues to significant life crises. Recognizing this dynamic is crucial for understanding the quality of one's friendships.

Read at Silicon Canals