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Friend has basically isolated herself from talking to any other friends & relatives except me. It's taking a toll on me to try to keep solving this problem by myself.

I found myself in this situation (unfortunately a few times) and it's very difficult because you want to be a helpful friend but you can't bear the whole responsibility of their well being. I also found that if you can't keep being the strong supportive one 100 percent of the time, they turn on you. It appears that we are not supposed to have a life. Someone who totally isolates needs a kind sympathetic professional therapist to help them. She needs to keep trying until she clicks with the right one.
Helpful Answer (9)
Reply to Hrmgrandcna
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I have a sibling with undiagnosed lifelong mental illness. He’s the most unhappy, discontent person I’ve ever known. You state your friend has been like this many years, that’s a good indication of her being very unlikely to change, except to perhaps worsen. My sibling has certainly worsened. I, along with many others, used to try to make things better, but we’ve all learned we cannot help or fix the problems, most especially as it’s so common for the mentally ill to believe that everyone else is the problem (hence the isolating) My advice, stop trying to solve your friend’s issues, and severely limit the time you spend listening to the issues. Protect your own wellbeing and limit your exposure. I’m sorry it can’t be better, sometimes that’s just true. I wish you peace
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Reply to Daughterof1930
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Is Dementia involved? If so, its up to her family to find her help. This woman probably should not be alone. You need to tell her family you can only do so much. She needs help that you can't give. Then start to step back. You don't have to answer every call or try to solve every problem. Legally you can't do much.
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Reply to JoAnn29
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Not your circus, not your monkeys!

There's a line between being a kind, helpful friend or an empath who takes all the pain into herself. You must be the latter. There's nothing wrong with that - until it starts affecting your mental health. Then, in the interest of self-preservation, you must back away.

Don't be so willing to listen whenever she feels like dumping on you. Do have other things to do that she isn't part of - such as, for example, joining an art club because you know she has no interest in joining one herself. Keep in mind that there are some things you just don't have the capacity to help. You're not a professional mental health counselor. Remind her of that, and offer to help her set up an appointment with one.

Good luck in your self-preservation campaign!
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Reply to Fawnby
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I know you feel sorry for this person and think you're helping them by giving their bad behavior a platform -- but you're wrong. The more attention you give it, the more you feed it. It degrades both you and her. The answer is to attempt to extinguish the behavior.

When she calls you (please don't initiate calls or visits to her) and she starts down her dysfunctional path you abruptly change the subject to something happier or neutral. She will be disarmed and upset will attempt to go back to her old subject but you apply the same strategy: you don't acknowledge her pointing out that you've just ignored what she said and instead abruptly change the topic again, as if she didn't say anything. You keep doing this consistently during the conversation and any future conversations. She will either voluntarily end the relationship or she will stop talking her unpleasant nonsense to you (like my MIL did). Extinguishing does work, you just need to be very consistent in doing it. You absolutely ignore any of her negative or dysfunctional interactions.

If your friend has dementia, all bets are probably off and you need to have a boundary with this person that YOU defend.
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Reply to Geaton777
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This is not a problem you need to solve.
Her family, or her medical POA, needs to take charge of her care.
Is she in a dangerous situation? What exactly are you worried about, and trying to resolve? If she is not in immediate danger, you can leave her to isolate herself, and limit your phone calls and interactions. She has the right to stubbornly isolate herself at home, without family intervention. Perhaps you could share some specific examples of the behavior you are worried about and get advice on how you could intervene as a friend.

If she has dementia, or mental health issues which are compromising her ability to make sound decisions, you could call APS and have them check on her.

Realize your limitations. There is only so much you can do. You can't make this person do something they don't want to do. You can't make their family do what you think they should. It is not something you can solve.
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Reply to CaringWifeAZ
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