Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSigns of Mentally-Draining FriendsWhat to DoPractice Self-CareConsider Distancing Yourself
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Signs of Mentally-Draining Friends
What to Do
Practice Self-Care
Consider Distancing Yourself
Close
Most people need an outlet to vent about the challenges they are dealing with in life, and knowing you have someone you can turn to in times of trouble can be comforting. But sometimes, one person does all the comforting while the other does all the venting.
Emotional draining can leave you feeling like you are shouldering another person’s problems and absorbing their stress (while getting nothing in return). These mentally draining situations will eventually wear you out.
Here’s what you need to know about emotionally draining friends and how to stay mentally healthy in the midst of this type of relationship.
Coping With Emotionally Draining Friends
Signs of Emotionally Draining Friendships
Some people know right away who these people are in their lives. But, if you’re not sure if you have a mentally draining friend, check out this list of signs. You should look for clues in your own responses as well as your friend’s behaviors.
What You Might Experience
When identifying an emotionally draining friend, it’s essential to look at how you respond when you talk to that friend or spend time together. It could be that the friendship may be taking a toll on your mental health. Here are some telltale signs that your friend may be mentally draining.
Eventually, you may find that your friendship is interfering with other areas of your life, or you’re changing your life to accommodate them.
Emotionally Draining Behaviors
Maybe your friend just seems to have more issues than others. Or perhaps your friend is going through a particularly rough patch in their life and doesn’t seem to be handling it well. Regardless of the reason, if you notice any of these signs in your friend, you may want to pause and consider whether or not this is a healthy friendship.
RecapUltimately, you will be left feeling that you are always help your friend while they offer little to nothing in return.
Recap
Ultimately, you will be left feeling that you are always help your friend while they offer little to nothing in return.
10 Signs of a Toxic Friend (and How to Break Up With Them the Right Way)
Having empathy and compassion are incredible gifts and skills to have, but sometimes they can lead people to take advantage of yourkindnessandgenerosity. If that happens to you on a consistent basis, it can be particularly draining—especially if you are ahighly sensitive personthat tends to absorb the feelings and stresses of other people.
No friendship is worth compromising your mental health or well-being. That said, you may not want to completelyend the friendshipeither, especially if your friend’s struggles are temporary. But it is important to protect yourself emotionally.
Here are some tips for what to do if you have emotionally draining friends.
It’s Time to Spring Clean Our Relationships
Refrain From Fixing
People need understanding and to know that you are there for them. That understanding can take many forms—it can mean a hug, an offer to grab coffee or lunch, calling or texting to check-in, and supporting your friend with care and concern.
It does not mean solving their problems for them, playing therapist, dropping everything for them, or taking over things they should do for themselves.
No matter how much you want to help or think that you might be able to do something, you need to avoid rushing in to rescue them. Chronically unhappy or dramatic people will likely resent your efforts or come up with new issues that need “fixed.”
Your best strategy is to be supportive but to put the responsibility back on their shoulders. You can even say something like, “You’re a smart person. I am confident you will figure this out and come out stronger than ever.”
Offer an Alternative
While it’s tempting for a friend to rely solely on another for support and advice, this expectation is often too much responsibility for one person. Suggest that they talk to their doctor or mental health professional if your friend:
While it’s admirable that you want to be a good listener and a compassionate friend, if your friend is dealing with deep emotional pain, the best thing they can do is seek the advice of a professional.
Friends can provide comfort and support, but they are not meant to be counselors. Make sure you don’t try to take on a role you’re not qualified for. Being a true friend is about connecting your friend to resources they need.
How to Help Someone Who Is Depressed
Empower Your Friend
Keep the focus of the conversation on your friend’s needs and what they think might work to solve the problem. While there is nothing wrong with offering advice, ultimately, they need to devise a plan on how to address the issues in their life.
For friends that keep coming to you with the same issue, remind them that although you are there for them, you don’t feel like you are much help since they keep complaining about the same thing.
Ask them what they think would make things better. The key is opening up the conversation so that they realize they are stuck in the same place and need to think about the next step.
Know Your Limits
It’s important that you know what your limits are. Ask yourself how much time and energy you really have to do devote to this friend. This acknowledgment isn’t about being insensitive orselfish. Instead, it’s about recognizing your self-worth, your limits, and your priorities.
You can still be a good friend without sacrificing your life in the process. A strong sense of self-worth coupled with healthy limitations helps you prevent imbalances in relationships. Plus, you owe it to yourself topractice good self-care.
Establish Boundaries
Once you have recognized that your friend is mentally draining, you must limit the amount of time that you spend together. After all, your own mental health depends on it. If you don’t want to end the relationship, or if it’s a coworker or family member, you need toestablish firm boundaries.
For example, if your friend calls late at night, don’t answer the phone, or if you do answer, tell them upfront that you only have 10 minutes, and then you have to do something else. Once the 10 minutes have passed, politely end the conversation and hang up the phone.
You also may need to establish boundaries about calling you at work, showing up at your apartment unannounced, or any other lines your friend appears to cross.
Get Advice From The Verywell Mind Podcast
When you are regularly there for an emotionally draining friend, the best thing you can do for yourself is to counteract the stress you experience from your interactions with positive experiences. If possible, try to do something uplifting and inspiring.
Pick something to ease your stress and get your mind off your friend’s troubles. Examples might include:
The key is to do something that keepsyou from ruminatingabout your friend’s issues or trying to solve their problems. Instead, do something that makes you feel loved and cared for.
You don’t want the emotional weight of your recent conversation to darken the rest of your day or your week. You owe it to yourself to ensure you’re staying asmentally strongas possible.
Not all friendships last foreverand that is OK. If you have come to a point in this friendship where you feel like you are being taken advantage of, and you are putting in more than you’re getting out, it may be time to distance yourself from that friend.
It is often best to end the relationship if your friend hastoxic qualitiesor is unsafe for you to be around.
That said, if someone drains you emotionally to the point that your life is unbearable, you need to recognize the possibility that the person is not a good fit for your life right now. If that is the case, it’s important that you distance yourself from this friend.
And, if your friend happens to ask you why you no longer hang out, be honest. Gently, let them know that it was hard for you to support them and be a good friend and that it was causing you mental anguish and stress.
Don’t blame them for the end of the friendship or make them feel bad for going through a tough time, but instead take ownership of your decisions and your choices.
It Sucks, But Sometimes Ending a Friendship Is Necessary—Here’s How to Do It
A Word From Verywell
If you have a friend who is emotionally draining you, be sure you are taking steps to care for your own mental and emotional health. While it’s important to be empathetic and compassionate toward others, some people take advantage of this kindness and can wreak havoc on your emotional state.
If this type of friendship sounds familiar, make sure you establish boundaries, practice self-care, and suggest your friend see a counselor. And if you’re still having trouble or struggling to take care of yourself because you’re always helping others, you, too, may benefit from speaking with a counselor or a therapist.
Get Help NowWe’ve tried, tested, and written unbiased reviews of thebest online therapy programsincluding Talkspace, BetterHelp, and ReGain. Find out which option is the best for you.
Get Help Now
We’ve tried, tested, and written unbiased reviews of thebest online therapy programsincluding Talkspace, BetterHelp, and ReGain. Find out which option is the best for you.
Meet Our Review Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit
What is your feedback?
