Accquaintances mental health issues...

[Cheeseboardandmincepies]

I’m not a very socialable person, I find it very exhausting. I also have social aniexty and multiple disabilities/mental health myself just to give some back story.
I have a acquaintance who I knew as a child, going back a good 30 odd years. The other week she got back in touch and face timed me, it was of the blue and I accepted by accident and we talked for two hours and it was okay despite me hating face time.
She didn’t really let me talk just spoke about her mental health issues and I felt a bit like a councelisor rather than two people catching up on the past 30 years.
She wants to face time me again today, and make it a regular weekly thing but I simply don’t have the time nor the mental energy to be engaging in 2-3 hour long face times. I have a disabled DC as well and when their at school that’s my only time to relax and rest so I’m fit and well enough to tend to their needs and this acquitance doesn’t really understand this as they’re childless living alone and don’t work so have all the time in the world. I feel so awful saying I don’t want to face time and I find it so uncomfortable talking to someone about their mental health when I’ve got so much on my plate as it is.
Does this make me an awful person? I don’t know how to tell them as they’re clearly in a bad place but it’s not really my place to be discussing their mental health in detail either. I’ve told them to speak to their family but they won’t, they don’t seem to have many friends to talk to either but I don’t want to be sat there 2/3 hours a week discussing their mental health either. I get very down easily and bounce off other people’s energy and I found myself already feeling a bit down after speaking to them the other day but I don’t know how to say it without sounding awful.
Sorry if this makes no sense. 🙈

Oh my, I feel so sorry for you, accepting the facetime accidentally! But as you said yourself, it wasn't a catch-up, it was just her talking at you and just about herself.

First things first, really try not to feel guilty about this. You have enough on your plate. And to be honest even if you lived the life of Riley with no responsibilites, you still wouldn't have any obligation to spend time with this person you knew 30 years ago!

So get rid of the guilt.

Secondly, compose your message. Text her saying you are sorry she is in a bad place but you really have enough on your plate at the moment and are very sorry but you cannot commit to regular Facetime sessions or texts.

Add the text bit in too.

Did she listen enough to know about your current circumstances? But you don't have to explain yourself to her. Text today! Good luck.

Nip this in the bud before it becomes a routine. She thinks she has found an unpaid counsellor and is an emotional vampire by the sound of it. If they have family to speak to but wont, that is their choice. You are not there to fix them.

If it was a back and forth chat,where you both shared your experience and helped each other then that would be okay if you had the time for it. But it isn't and you dont.

I echo the PP, you need to tell her you simply cant commit to this, and wish her well. You could even suggest counselling or organisations to help if it's a specific issue, then you dont feel guilty you have " abandoned " her ( not that you have any obligation to her ,but we often guilt trip ourselves in these situations)