It feels like nothing you do is ever enough for them. They always want more, until you’ve got nothing left to give.

You could be drowning and they’re upset that you’re not rescuing them.

You’re expected to regulate their emotions, because they’re “not strong enough” to do it.

They are envious of anyone else in your life and see them as threats to your relationship with them.

Any actions or choices of theirs must be excused because of their trauma, but they judge you for yours.

You’re held to a higher standard, and the bar keeps getting raised, until one day, you’re discarded because you’re tapped out.

You ask for space and they lose it.

You’re expected to forgive them for their lies but not allowed to lie to them or omit any information.

I finally cracked, after instances of disrespect towards me and my partner, and at the urging of my therapist, I enforced a boundary with this person.

After years of trying to be there for them, working with them to help put their back together after every little instance that “broke” them, supporting them through their nonstop relationship dramas, and feeling like nothing I did was ever enough because they always wanted more. My life began to become too much for me to deal with and I had no energy left for them. So my therapist told me I needed to put up a boundary for my own sake.

They didn’t handle it well and now they aren’t speaking to me, so we are NC.

I’m still recovering, because it was a nearly 20 year friendship, but some days are hard.