Am I Toxic? Or just Drowning?

Have you ever had a friend who supported through all your struggles, but suddenly they started pulling away for their own good?

Have you ever felt ashamed, feeling like a burden because you're too much for your love ones and now they left to help themselves from you?

Now you’re left with the original struggle, the new shame of being 'too much,' and the weight of carrying it all alone.

What are you now? The Victim who's broken down by their struggles or The Villain who pushed a person to their limit?

• YOU ARE NOT UNWORTHY OF LOVE. Them leaving is not a sign that you are unworthy. It's a sign that you need a different kind of help that a friendship/relationship was never meant to provide.
• THE SILENCE IS NOT A SENTENCE. A friend needing space isn't a permanent judgment on who you are. It’s a temporary boundary set to preserve what’s left of the connection.
• YOUR STRUGGLE IS REAL, NOT A "CHOICE." You didn't choose to have a pain so big it overwhelmed a friend. Just because they reached their limit doesn't mean you were "doing too much" on purpose—it means the situation was simply bigger than the two of you.
• GRIEF AND PROGRESS CAN COEXIST. It’s okay to be heartbroken about losing that specific support while simultaneously being proud of yourself for still moving forward. You can miss them and still be capable of healing.
• HEALING IS A NATURAL CAPACITY, NOT A REWARD. You haven't lost your ability to be a healthy friend; you are simply in a period where your energy is being used for survival. That capacity is still there, waiting for you.