Trying help a friend whose serverly Depressed
The story
I have a friend who I call my sister. It did not start out that way. We met in social interactive chat room. I was curious about my sexuality, and this space let me explore that. She came into that room and we chatted she almost left, but I got her to stay and chat.
Now mind you I was already in a relationship with my now partner of 20 years. At the time I met my friend me and my partner had been together about 10 years. My partner is rather non adventurous when it comes to intimate exploration. I wanted explore my sexuality before I made a full commitment. mind you I only explored online not in person. All this is relevant.
At the time me and my friend only chatted online and threw video chat. It was wonderful we connected as friends. Nothing sexual, just two friends chatting. Occasionally it got raunchy, but it remained online and not in person. She did not push and neither did I.
My friend was suppose to come out to visit, but she ended up moving to where I lived. She moved out with 2 friends who ended up stealing from her and abandoning her. They left her stranded. She had by then found work and had people who helped her when her 2 friends abandoned her.
Before things went south me and my friend after she moved out to where I lived hung out and explored and got know each other in person. One thing led to another and we got sexual. She was into women, and I was exploring that aspect of my life.
It lasted a good year or two (the sexual exploration). But, there was a rift that was happening between me and my partner, and I stepped the sexual exploration with my friend.
My friend also has some mental health issues. she has had 2 thoughts of not wanting to be here anymore when she was out living in the city I lived in. Each time I took it seriously. She lived there for 9 years. Then her only parent got terminally ill and she had to move back to help her parent. Mind at that time one of my own parents had died, and financially things were not looking good.
My friend asked if I wanted to move back to where she grew up. It was less expensive and when discussing it with my partner we agreed, and moved back to the city she grew up.
The move was 2 years ago. I have since gone back to visit the city I use to live in for a friends wedding. My friend came with me because she recently had surgery and need help. I was the only one who has been helping her. Also her parent has since passed and her other parent passed years ago so she has no one. I stepped up to help her. So she came with us, and was miserable the whole time. Even though I took her to explore our old haunts while we were there.
On the last day she questioned me and grilled me about why our sexual interactions stopped. And I told her that I had lost my labedo and really had no desire for sex not just with her, but also my partner. Who I am still with. Still keeps hounding me about, three days after we have back to the city she grew up in. She is now talk about not wanting to be around anymore, how she cannot find a partner. How she has nothing to stick around for. Now that her only parent is gone she has no purpose anymore. How she cannot find any sexual release (she is hypersexual, due SA).
I am exhausted, I trying to get her to see how valuable she to as a friend and adopted sister. But it turns into arguments. I am doing my best but we are fighting. My partner say I just need to be patient with, but I don't take thoughts of wanting to end lightly. I am mentally and physically exhausted. I don't know what to do. What does one do? Any ideas? I am not afraid of being told I am in the wrong or what I have done wrong
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Points of view
Man, that sounds rough. It seems like you're stuck in a pretty tough spot, trying to be there for your friend while also dealing with your own stuff. It's understandable you're exhausted; that's a lot of emotional weight to carry around. Maybe setting some boundaries could help you not feel so overwhelmed? You gotta take care of yourself too, or else you won’t have the energy to help anyone else. Sometimes getting an outside perspective from a therapist or counselor could really help clear things up for both of you. Just remember, you've got to look after your own well-being as much as hers.
I completely understand where you're coming from. I had a similar experience with someone I met online, and it blossomed into this wonderfully platonic relationship. We even visited each other once but promised to keep things non-romantic.
Wow, that's quite the emotional rollercoaster you're on 😅 The thing is, being caught between your partner and a friend like this can be so draining. Maybe find some time just for yourself to recharge; otherwise, you might burn out. It sounds like she needs professional help with her hypersexuality and mental health issues more than anything else, which isn't something you should have to handle alone. Encouraging her to speak with someone qualified might alleviate some of that pressure off your shoulders.
idk i kinda feel like mabe ur friend need space? sometimes pushing too hard isn’t the answer u know like u want to be there but also respect they need time?
fair assessment. thank you
i once met someone in a chat room for two months, just being friends. we joked around and she ended up being one of my closest confidantes.
Man, that sounds like a lot to handle; I can see why you're feeling so exhausted. It's tough balancing everything when dealing with someone who has mental health issues, especially when they're close to you and been through so much together. A friend of mine went through something similar with their partner's friend, and one thing they found helpful was setting clear boundaries while still being supportive. It might be worth considering seeing if there are any local support groups or therapists she could talk to?? You gotta take care of yourself too in this situation because it's draining for sure!
This is quite complex. It seems like you've been incredibly supportive, but maybe your friend might benefit from professional help to navigate her feelings? You mentioned arguments; could those be stemming from misalignments in goals and expectations for your friendship? 😅 The intricacies of this relationship must be hard to juggle with everything else you're managing.
You need to take care of yourself first!!!
yeah, honestly, this sounds like a real headache. juggling all these relationships and issues can leave you feeling burned out pretty quick. i gotta say, maybe it’s time to really evaluate who’s responsible for what here... you can't save someone who doesn't want to be saved, and if they keep pushing your boundaries or dragging you into their mess without trying to help themselves, maybe it's time to ease off a little. 🤷♂️ do what you can but don't get caught in a cycle where you're sacrificing your own mental health for someone who's not putting in the effort on their side too.
I wonder if by continually being there for her, you’re almost taking on too much responsibility? It's so tough to balance between supporting others and looking after your own well-being.
omg i had something like this once! she was just as lost as me and when we hung out things felt great at first, eventually we both needed different things. it’s so hard trying not to let friendships get tense due personal issues right?
sounds super familiar honestly! balancing that kind of dynamic is tricky AF
Whoa, sounds like a lot to juggle!! You've got this intense friendship and relationship, plus her mental health stuff on your back. 😅 It's tough when someone relies on you so much emotionally and mentally; ever thought about seeing if her friends could pitch in more? You can't be the sole support system for everything she's facing. Remembering that you're not responsible for someone's happiness or fulfillment can help lighten the load!!!! Let her know you care without letting it consume you.
Damn, that sounds like a complicated mess. You're juggling way too much at once, and it's no wonder you're feeling drained. Maybe it's time to consider if this friendship is worth the toll on your mental health? Your friend clearly needs some professional help for her issues, and it's not something you can solve just by being around. At some point, you have to prioritize yourself and your longstanding partner over someone who seems to be pulling you into their emotional vortex. It's crucial to set boundaries before things spiral further out of control.
you should tell her to chill!
Maybe just step back a little?
you’ve definitely been through the wringer with all this; it's clear you're trying your best to juggle a lot of intense emotions and dynamics. one thing that sticks out to me is how you’re carrying a lot of your friend's burdens, which can be really overwhelming. from what you've shared, history seems to have given you both some seriously complex layers, blending friendship and sexual exploration, but it also sounds like there might be some unfinished business or unresolved feelings complicating things now. sometimes when friendships change gears like that, especially after such intense shared experiences, it's crucial to reassess what's truly in everyone's best interest moving forward. maybe stepping back a bit could give her some space to process everything herself too. finding a balance where you’re still supportive but not drowning in it can be tricky; perhaps implementing very specific times for these talks could help manage the emotional load better?
for me, u might need some alone time :)
You’ve really got a lot to juggle there, and it seems like you're carrying the weight of the world. It must be so frustrating to have your attempts met with arguments, but maybe stepping back could give you both some breathing room. From my experience, sometimes being honest about your limitations helps shift the focus even if it's hard in the moment; people tend to appreciate honesty in hindsight. Also, it might be worth trying an open conversation just focused on setting new norms in your relationship that respect everyone’s boundaries without ignoring someone’s needs. Take care of yourself first, or you'll struggle to take care of others too.
have you thought that maybe confronting those issues head-on isn’t always what's needed? being direct is good but sometimes giving someone room can help more than constantly digging into what's wrong.
It sounds like you've been through a lot with your friend, and showing that level of commitment is admirable. With everything going on, I wonder how your partner feels about the intense focus this situation demands? Balancing your friend's needs and maintaining your own relationship must be incredibly challenging. Have you had any conversations with your partner about setting boundaries or ways to manage the dynamic between all of you?
i hear you though. it's rough when lines blur between friendship and intimacy. i totally agree it feels overwhelming dealing with her needs all the time. still, having been through similar situations, there are moments when it falls upon us to put ourselves first even when it's hard.