The Hidden Cost of Being the 'Good Friend'

"Self-abandonment is the chronic tendency to override one's own needs, boundaries, preferences, and emotional experiences in order to meet a goal like maintaining a connection or belonging to a group."

"For Sophia, staying up all night for a friend going through a breakup despite having work the next morning exemplifies ignoring her own needs and erasing healthy boundaries in favor of being a 'good friend'."

"People who have anxious or disorganized attachment styles who were cared for with inconsistency, criticism, or withdrawal may have adapted by prioritizing others' needs."

Self-abandonment is the chronic tendency to ignore one's own needs and boundaries to maintain connections with others. It often manifests in individuals who prioritize the needs of friends over their own, leading to a sense of loneliness. This behavior is rooted in early attachment styles formed during infancy, particularly in those with anxious or disorganized attachments. Such individuals may have learned to prioritize others' needs due to inconsistent or critical caregiving, resulting in a disconnection from their own emotional experiences.

Read at Psychology Today