Trouble Creating and Maintaining Healthy Friendships
Hi everyone!
I'm Teal and I'm new to 7 Cups.
My longest and closest childhood friendship was with a very controlling person, we were friends from when I was 7 or 8 until a huge blowout at 20 years old. The rest of my friends revealed they always felt our friendship was unhealthy but were scared to say anything to me.
Looking back I realized how much I experienced gaslighting and manipulation and how much of my friend's damage had been passed on to me.
This being my most influential friendship I experienced a deep feeling of betrayal looking back. Since then I have struggled with self isolation and difficulties forming healthy friendships.
I've been in therapy for a few years now and learning about healthy relationships has helped me understand what I went through more clearly, but I still struggle with healthy boundaries, believing that I am unwanted easily, having difficulties trusting others, or bonding too quickly with new people. I constantly question if actions are red flags, if my own behavior is appropriate or not, and long for a comfortable connection.
Being in quarantine has made isolation worse of course.
I hope to learn more from all of you members and listeners and maybe flex some social muscles that will have me a bit more comfortable as I can get out in the world again!
Sending love to all of you!
Teal