Everyone seems to come to you when something’s gone wrong. You listen, you stay calm, you try to help, and before long you’ve somehow become the person everybody relies on.

At first, that can feel like a good thing. It means people trust you, they feel safe with you, and they believe you’ll know what to say. But after a while, it can start to feel heavy, especially when their problem stays in your head long after they’ve moved on.

In this episode, I want to look at how that role develops, why it can become so difficult to step away from, and what being needed might be giving you as well as taking from you. Because sometimes the hardest part isn’t only that people keep bringing you their problems. It’s wondering who you are to them when you’re not the one fixing things.

You can care deeply about other people without carrying everything they bring you, and you can still matter when there’s nothing for you to solve.

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Explore more from Headstraight:

• Read the blog version of every episode, packed with extra insights on self-sabotage, motivation, resilience, and mental health → headstraight.co.uk/blog
• Find out more about me, the host, and why I started this podcast → headstraight.co.uk/about

Need support right now?
If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, or in crisis, visit our Resources page - https://www.headstraight.co.uk/p/resources/
for helplines, mental health services, and support options available in the UK and across the world.