If there is someone in your life who is always complaining, is always in trouble, and needs your help and comfort, without offering anything in return, it is probably emotionally draining, especially if you feel drained every time you talk to them. This is not right and you must make a change to save your physical and mental health.
We discover what you can do when someone close to you is draining your energy. And we hope that our tips will help you, and even the emotionally draining person, find some peace.
Don’t Try To Offer Them A Solution
When someone comes to you with their problems, don’t try to fix them. What you can do is support them emotionally, but you don’t have to play the role of a therapist or parent who solves all their problems.
Put that responsibility back on their shoulders and encourage them to make decisions for themselves because they know what is best for them.
Suggest Getting Professional Help
If a person constantly complains about their life, they’re always unhappy about something and it does not seem to end; it could be a sign that the person needs psychological help.
While it may temporarily support them emotionally, it won’t fix the root cause of all their problems, which can be mental health issues.
Limit Your Contact
Try to limit the time you spend with people you find emotionally draining. For example, you might decide not to reply to their messages if they write to you early in the morning, late at night, or on the weekend.
If they come to you in person, tell them right away that you will listen, but that you don’t have much time and will have to go soon. This will not make you a bad person or friend, it will only add more value to your time and energy that you could better spend elsewhere.
Set Boundaries
People who drain their energy often don’t understand their limits. They may talk to you about things you are not comfortable discussing, come to your home unannounced, or call you to tell you about their problems when you are at work.
Depending on how close you are to that person and how much energy you are willing to expend with them, explain what your limits are. Don’t be angry or aggressive, but do it firmly so they understand that you really mean it.
Consider Distancing Yourself
If you find that your relationship with the person who drains your energy has an extremely negative effect on your mental health and you are really suffering from it, it might be a good idea to remove that person from your life.
If the relationship is toxic and they use it to feel better about themselves without giving anything in return, it may not be worth saving.
Use The “Grey Rock” Method
People who drain your energy feed off your emotional reaction to what they say to you. So if you want them to stop bothering you, don’t show rock-like emotions.
Keep your answers short and objective. You may even seem bored, tired, or sick, and they will find that they are not getting what they want from you.
Do you know someone who is draining you emotionally? How do you handle them?
