Are you someone who your friends go to all the time? Whatever happens, you’re the one who they can go to the most? Are you also the one who loves to help out those friends as well as anyone else? Do you want people to come to you no matter what EVEN if it’s taking a toll on your own mental sanity and stability? Then you might have the Friend Therapist Syndrome or FTS!

Ok so maybe FTS isn’t exactly an actual thing and I may have made it up, but if it was  real then I for sure would have it. I love giving advice to people. It’s a good feeling knowing that people can trust you enough to come to you and even more so knowing that you give good enough advice for them to continue asking for it. Not only are you helping people with what they’re going through, but you also get that gratification in knowing you helped them out. But sometimes you have to ask…what about me? Yes helping your friends out is great, but sometimes it can be too much.

Recently, I’ve really been relied on for advice and support more than normal by multiple people. I love it, I really do, but I’m at a point now to where I think it’s becoming too much. This is where FTS really comes into play. I’m willing to risk my own mental sanity to help out others. Some may say that’s such a noble thing to do which it is, but I’m getting to where I’m breaking myself trying to put others back together.

Depending on what people come to you about, it can really be a lot. It’s like when you have a thin piece of tissue stretched out and you put more and more on top of it until it finally rips apart. Not getting the mental break you need can tear you apart, which can only cause more harm than good. How can you help someone else when you have nothing in you left to give? You can’t give your best self.

It’s times like this when you have to reboot. It’s ok to tell your friends and others that you need a mental reboot. People who care about you the same way you care about them will understand. This doesn’t mean that they can’t come to you ever again or that you don’t care about them. Everyone needs a mental break, and to relieve the Friend Therapist Syndrome, it’s pertinent that myself and anyone else who loves to give advice to others like myself take that mental break. Help others, but also help yourself.

-BPD♥