[Fuzzybear]

Following on from the other question, I was wondering about this. Do you feel you are supportive enough to your friends? I don't .... I am either too much, or not enough.

[Soupe du jour]

I have felt the same way, Fuzzy. I totally relate to the "too much, or not enough. When I am hypomanic/manic or anxious I can overwhelm people. When depressed, I easily "fall off the map".

I try very hard to be a great support to my husband. I pick him to put my greatest effort into. I try to help folks here, as best I can. I have worked harder to develop a closer relationship with my sister. I feel good about that. Now friends...there's a lot of burned bridges, I'm afraid. Now with my move abroad, I want to further develop relationships with my husband's youngest nephews and one of his sisters. As for friends there, it's all new opportunities. Fresh starts.

[bizi]

I try but fail.
I just spoke with a really great best friend that moved away from here. She lives in nashvile TN. I got to talk to her last night for about 40 minutes. I hardly remember half the conversation because of my mental problems. I see a female neurologist soon. I would like an MRI of my brain to see if there is something medically, for my poor memory loss.... brain. Jeff thinks it is from years of meds. I used to be able to do things for myself....now I depend on jeff.
I work for myself and tried to be better friends with jenny but she did not want to be friends., She would not call me back and I kept texting her....I ran into her at an assisted living place and we hugged and I told her that I thought she had blocked me. She said that she did not know how to do that.
anyway,
I have made a friend, male, at sandras health food cafe. I have met a couple of his friends too.
I have made a friend with my old sponsor from AA.
I speak with her every week or so. try to get together every once in a while. but she is old enough to be my mother. and has dementia. But she is my friend and I care for her. Jeff doesn't like her at all. So that is 2 friends but not really close. Thank goodness I have jeff in my life.
Paula was someone part of the lunch bunch that we ate together for a few years at sandras. I try to see her more often she is very busy so I don't get to see her very often. She was a really good friendI have tried to be friends with her but she is bad about calling back.etc.
Sorry that I tramppled all over this thread post.

I guess I should have said no I don't get enough support.
I can't follow along here, my memories don't make the cut.
bizi

[MuddyBoots]

When I'm good, I'm very good. When I'm bad, I'm very bad. These days I'm more bad than good. Past few years I've been a drinking buddy, not what I want to be going forward.

[Bipolarchic14]

I have made a point of being there for family, friends and coworkers. Especially during these times. If someone expresses distress on social media, I will reach out to them via messager. Most know I have mental issues so they try to say things like it’s not as bad as what you go through but... I will stop them and correct them. They don’t really understand fully what I go through and vice versa so that is not a fair statement.

[*Beth*]

I tend to be very supportive of family and friends. BUT in my younger years I gave so much of myself to people that my own mental and physical health suffered badly. And, I was unable to ask for help when it should have been my turn.

Over the past 5 years I've made a conscious decision to self-care by setting healthy boundaries. Sounds cliche, but I really needed to start doing it. It's taken hard work in therapy to believe that I am important enough to limit how much energy I give to people. It's still difficult for me to ask for help, though. I don't know if I ever will be comfortable with doing so, but I aim to be some day.

An example. I have a very dear friend who lives in Texas. So it's 11p.m. there, whereas it's 9 p.m. here. She has a lot of burdens in her life. I love her and I will be there for her at a reasonable hour. She knows I go to bed around this time, but she just called me. I chose not to answer the phone, and I won't when it's my bedtime. She will want to unload her stress onto me, I would listen and give her lots of positive feedback. That's fine in the afternoon, not at my bedtime.

I have to ask why someone would push a known boundary by calling at someone's known bedtime? I won't play that game. Further, I believe I set a healthy example for my friend by not playing her game.