I have two people in my life who's lives are filled with drama and crisis. Over the Xmas, Friend 1, who I have known for 19 years, has drawn on me so much that I have had Xmas eve spent on the phone with his kids, Xmas day on the phone to him as he picks his way through another situation involving his ex wife and her rackety lifestyle and at the end of it all, he did precisely nothing despite there being a very real risk to his children.
The other person, who I have know for 10 years, has become really quite strange and dark. Not even a bit eccentric or different, but doing things that I find are disturbing now and I would rather not be around anymore.
With Friend 1, I have been delicately drawing back and I have a sneaking suspicion he was aware of this and is becoming even more needy and theatrical.
I am begining to feel resentful towards them both, as though I am an accessory in their dramas both onstage and as an observer. In my mind they are unaware of the toll they take or are so self absorbed don't understand that other people's lives do not orbit round theirs 24/7
currently I am dealing with mental health issues and despite knowing this, neither of them seem to want to ease up on their emotional whirl winds. My husband has even contact Friend 1 and suggested that they speak to off load some of the demand, unsurprisingly he has not taken up the offer.
That all said, do I have to be really blunt with them or simply fade away? I don't want to say something in anger and hurt their feelings and make myself feel like crap but the boundaries need to be redrawn. Friend 1 in particular makes me feel a bit hounded.