Yeah I guess very limited interaction is better than nothing. It’s hard to find a balance between ignoring a guys phone calls and not though
Time management is a crucial component to life, because you only have so much energy to give and it diminishes each day.
In spite of the burden of obligation, we can draw strength in the CHOOSING, rather than having our options chosen for us (whether by circumstance or a shared past history). Anthony Anderson has a joke about shitting himself in the car: he knew there was no stopping it, so he CHOSE to let out a little bit at a time on his way home through the winding streets of Diarrheaville, USA, to help stave off the inevitable onslaught for as long as humanly possible. Pretty funny but the principle is sound:
when faced with an unpleasant decision, how much can you control?
Energy vampires are real.
If you consider the notion that, well, nothing is actually wrong with your friend -- then you might come to understand that this is just the way he is, and always will be. As such there is nothing to fix, but rather he is a friend who is very high maintenance. He just needs attention/feedback -- constantly. (You don't have to provide it.)
Suicide Call Centers deal with energy vampires ALL THE TIME. There are policies in place limiting operator interaction with these people. They go on a list, and they will know they're on this list without a hint of stigma. Thus, both operator and caller will talk to each other fully cognizant of two facts: 1) this call can only last [XYZ] minutes per [ABC] duration and 2) whatever is discussed will have no resolution and that the talk ITSELF is the best we can hope for.
^^All this is just the part that applies to your involvement with your friend. There's a whole separate component: you. Here's where I asked you to talk more about your guilt, because that's a motive you can control. Your friend isn't the one making you feel guilty -- you are. Figuring out why you feel guilty will make it easier for you to choose your best course of action. Maybe there's nothing to be done except assuage the guilt.
Remember: nothing is absolute. There is no permanent fix. It was never a possibility that you held the knowledge to solve your friend's problems in any lasting way. Problems will always arise, and friends will always seek support. Don't rush to make any permanent decisions where you have to close the door on anything. You don't want to throw your energy away on garbage thoughts, which are the thoughts that can seek no catharsis, that have no contingency for resolution.
Avoid self-defeatism. Good luck and don't forget to hydrate.
