Hey CaptainKirk, I might be able to help with this. This is a problem I have to, I'm the rock for everyone around me, the go-to guy. I couldn't figure out why either. Nobody was interested in my problems, nobody was interested in my dreams and aspirations, I didn't get it.

But I'm willing to bet money, marbles or chalk, you have the exact problem I do and it really has nothing to do with the people that keep coming to you. I'll bet you surround yourself with people that need you. It's completely subconscious, but deep, deep, deep down you're the hero of your relationships. I'm not being sarcastic, truly. Waaaaay down deep, you're the opposite of an emotional vampire, you inherently feed strength to others.

The problem is that eventually your tanks run dry and you've got your own problems that you have to try to work through, but you don't have any support because of the people you unconsciously surround yourself with. So here's the trick ...

I think that what you can do is start taking steps to develop a support structure around yourself. You have to find just the right way to ask for help from just the right people. You're attracting "emotional vampires" so you have to be careful. When you ask someone for help, they might get emotional or offended themselves. Again, this is something I'm working on so I can't give specifics.

Anyway, I think the best thing would be to listen to their problems, but let them know that you emotionally can't help them right now. Start to look for a support system and get that proper help that can "refill your tanks".

Hang in there. You can get through this!

P.S. I apologize if some of what I wrote is ... off. I'm fighting some conversion disorder right now and can't really see what I'm writing (matrixing what I see).