About ten years ago I met a girl a few years older than me in a support group. We quickly became friends and planned on being roommates. She had a heartbreaking childhood & problems I couldn't comprehend because of it. I probably started the friendship off wrong by trying to make myself completely available to her and maybe by being too open minded/optimistic. I naively thought just because I was willing to give her help, it would help her.

Even though she had a therapist, medications and other means of support she continued to make decisions that hurt her in scary ways. I spent a lot of energy worrying & trying to help her only to end up emotionally exhausted and resentful....and then feeling ashamed and depressed for being resentful. She became alarmingly dependent on me. She constantly gauged my feelings towards her by asking "are you mad at me?'.

At one point she shared something that made me uncomfortable and was just too much information.... I took it as my out & broke off contact.

I still feel bad about the way I dropped out of her life. I think I handled it in a juvenile or cowardly way. I had been with her at the hospital when her baby was born and even babysat for her for a while....and then I just drop out of her life with no explanation. It probably had to be confusing.