Discussion Do you have any friends? And if so, are you open with them about your problems?

[MephiticShadow]

I have no friends. You how how they say if everyone around you is an arsehole then really you must be the arsehole? Yeah..... I suspect I just might be the arsehole. Can't even make online friends. Just get ghosted

 

[Asya]

I have two "friends". I have difficulty calling them that because I don't feel properly emotionally connected to them. Due to extreme abandonment issues I do not know if I'm capable of getting attached to people anymore, or liking people, or feeling like people care about me, or don't hate me, or whatever. They would drop me if convenient. I don't think that can really be called a friend. So maybe the more correct answer is I have none. But the people I talk to generally know my deal, at least in a vague sense. My problems are part of me. No one could hope to connect with me if they did not acknowledge this. I am not one for pretending about who I am or what I'm like.

 

[Liebestod]

Zero friends at all. My only form of socialization is being at this outpatient facility that I didn't have a choice at being in but I don't mind it anymore. I really only talk to some of the techs there.

 

[TAW122]

I have what I considered one friend IRL, but I don't discuss about CTB or any of my "true" intentions for obvious reasons, and when the most important day comes (the day that I actually attempt CTB), I would certainly keep quiet for obvious reasons... It is unfortunate that it is the way things are handled, but with so much at stake, I simply cannot take the risk of leaking my intentions or so and would not feel comfortable in introducing any unnecessary risk to my plan.

 

[PalOnTheSteppe]

I have a few friends, and I'm *kinda* open to two of them about my ideation. I would say that I broadly regret being honest with them about these matters, because what can they do? I make 2 awesome people feel bad and worry about me for what? So I can offload my own personal ruminations for a brief moment and go right back to it when I leave the room?

I hate the framing of mainstream mental healthcare positing that talking to your friends is the righteous, almost selfless thing to do because others worry about you and they care so they have a right to know. In reality every time I talk to my friends about my problems it feels deeply selfish and borderline masturbatory. It accomplishes nothing and multiplies the stress and anxiety in the world.