Being there for someone who's struggling is tiring too

When someone in your family or a close friend is depressed, your life changes too. You stay alert, you worry, you're patient day after day. And sometimes exhaustion, helplessness or even anger show up, followed by guilt for feeling them. That's normal. Loving someone doesn't give you the power to cure them, and their recovery doesn't depend on you alone. You bring your affection and your presence; treatment, professionals and time do their part. To keep someone company for a long time you need to rest, talk to someone about what you're going through and share the load with others. It isn't selfishness: it's how you avoid breaking down along the way. And you can also bring your tiredness to God, not just the other person's suffering.