Imagine you're reeling from the emotions of just having fought with your partner. Do you sit with your feelings about the conflict and then talk things out? Or do you immediately text or call a friend to vent about your partner? If you answered the latter, you might be what licensed clinical psychologist and certified relationship and intimacy expert Jacqueline Sherman calls a "relationship dumper." Sherman noted that these individuals tend to overshare about their relationship problems.
If you're friends with a relationship dumper, experts say there are steps you can take to create boundaries and protect your friendship. While it can be frustrating, overwhelming, or even just annoying to provide emotional support to a relationship dumper, it's key to remember they're still your friend. There's a way to communicate boundaries while still maintaining the relationship.
Sherman suggests a good method for creating boundaries is the "sandwich technique," where you begin by sharing how you feel connected to your friend, then communicate your boundary, and finally validate their experience and try to help them find another resource besides you. This method emphasizes the importance of maintaining empathy while setting boundaries.
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