""Sara" is a close friend who suffers from significant mental health challenges. She is often sullen, easily offended, and quick to anger. Recently, she had a severe meltdown (which was never discussed), cut me off completely, and didn't speak to me for months. We patched that one up somehow, but her behavior is frequently challenging to the point where I question whether our friendship is worth it."
"We met a few years ago in the psych ward of our local hospital, both in the midst of mental health crises. That shared experience is an important part of our bond. Somehow I have found stability and a path forward, but Sara continues to struggle in every way imaginable. She's in nearly constant conflict with someone. Her family relations are strained. She has trouble finding and keeping a job."
"I truly care about Sara. Because of my own mental health journey, I think I am more sympathetic, maybe more patient than some other friends might be. But now I'm starting to feel my patience is being strained to the breaking point. I need to prioritize my own strength and stability, which I work hard to maintain. Sarah's constant ups and downs don't help. I've tried to back off and make ours a more casual relationship, but that doesn't pass unnoticed and upsets her."
A close friendship with Sara involves significant, ongoing mental-health problems, including sullen behavior, hypersensitivity, frequent anger, and severe meltdowns that have led to prolonged silence. The friends met in a psychiatric ward, and the shared crisis is a key bond. Sara continues to struggle with constant interpersonal conflict, strained family relations, unstable employment, and housing instability in a group home. Sara takes medication and sees multiple mental-health professionals but remains volatile. One friend cares deeply yet feels patience strained, has tried to distance the relationship to protect personal stability, and questions whether ending the friendship would be heartless.
Read at Slate Magazine
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