Are You a Lover or a Shrink?

Give and take. Back and forth. Ebbs and flow. Ups and downs. Win some, lose some—At the end of the day, it all balances itself out! At least that’s what we tell ourselves when we are in relationships. But what happens when it’s not balanced; when one party is giving over and above what the other one is giving?  What happens when you are giving so much that you don’t have much left to give? At some point the river runs dry…

But what are you going to do? Break away from the relationship when that person really needs you? I mean, you must be giving because that person really needs to take. He needs to take the shoulder you’re offering. He needs to take the money you’re lending. He needs to take the hope you're exuding. He needs you. At least, that’s how you feel. So you keep giving, thinking that this time will be the last and then he’ll be able to give back to you. But it’s not the last, so you give again…and again… At some point, you begin to feel like more of a counselor than a girlfriend….

So here you are, in the middle of this session, he’s lying on your couch, and once again he needs your services. You’ve given all that you have—tick tock—the minutes are flying by and you don’t have anything to show for the session except a heavier burden on your shoulders and lighter weight in your wallet. Tick tock—it’s time to tell him his time is up!