Has anyone else just stopped listening or giving relationship advice to friends/family?
I think part of being introverted is that people get really comfortable and tell you way too much stuff.
I have 6 friends and 2 cousins who always end up in some type of problematic or toxic relationships.
I was always just worried for their safety, or their well being, to the point that I can't sleep or get anxious for them. The problems aren't physical but they do seem to cause a lot of mental damage or exhaustion for them.
Thing is, you give advice, try and help them and support. But then it just continues, they keep repeating it.
After maybe 15 years of this, I finalized realized what's happening. I'm basically like "free theraphy", the kind where you never do anything to fix your issues, just enough to vent and feel good, then go again to start feeling better at the things you can never say to your partner.
I pointed it out to them, and told them that they need to find some actual help because clearly I'm not qualified. Whenever they start bringing it up, I either tell them to please stop, seek actual help or just change the subject or remove myself from the conversation.
I felt so bad and selfish at first, thinking im a bad friend yet I feel like I have to carry their problems with me, and I mentally can't handle it.