Abby Connolly
I don’t know about you, but I certainly feel grateful and blessed for my friendships. I have some fantastic friends I can not only have a lot of fun with but can also confide in and be vulnerable with.
Friends are super important, and having at least one friend you feel comfortable sharing your hardships with is vital.
But here’s the thing: I have an amazing support system thanks to my wonderful friends, but I don’t always open up and reach out to them when I need them. I can be the kind of person who shuts down and isolates herself when experiencing burnout, anxiety, depression, or just going through a difficult time.
Thankfully, my friends can usually sense this and help pull me out of my funk, but some friends get upset when I go “ghost mode” on them for a bit.
It’s understandable if you’re feeling burnt out or emotionally exhausted and need time away from everything and everyone. Sometimes, when you’re that drained, even answering a friend’s simple text feels like a challenge.
While it’s okay to want and need to shut down now and then, you don’t want your friendships to suffer or become strained.
So, here are some tips for maintaining your friendships while going through a tough time.
Be honest
These days, when I can feel myself slipping into a slump or funk, I try to let my closest friends know when those feelings are coming on. That way, if they don’t hear from me or feel like I haven’t been communicating as much as I usually do, they’ll know I’m working through something.
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