Does everyone prioritize a friend's needs over their own well-being?

Many people feel a strong sense of devotion to their friends, sometimes leading them to put a friend's comfort or desires ahead of their own health or peace of mind. This kind of intense loyalty can stem from a genuine desire to be a good friend, but it's not a universal or always beneficial approach to relationships. There are many ways to show care without consistently sacrificing your own fundamental needs.

Research suggests that individuals in highly demanding friendships, where one person consistently prioritizes the other, report lower levels of personal satisfaction and higher stress, according to a

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Am I the only one who feels compelled to prioritize a friend's needs over my own well-being?

Am I the Only One?

Is it normal to prioritize a friend's needs over your own well-being?

Is It Normal?

Is it weird to prioritize a friend's needs over your own well-being?

Is It Weird?

Why do I prioritize a friend's needs over my own well-being?

Why Do I?

Real stories from the community

She had a certain vivacity, a kind of magnetic insouciance that just drew people in, and she knew it, too. …

toxic loyalty

I guess I'm just typing this out because I can't really talk to anyone about it, not in real life anyway. …

toxic loyalty

Am I the only one who cleans like EVERYTHING for my older brother all weekend and buys him food and he still acts like I’m the problem—like does anyone else just feel EXHAUSTED by that?

toxic loyalty

Like, I’ll spend hours there, scrubbing toilets, doing laundry, mopping floors, and then I’ll be like, "Frank, you really gotta try to keep it a bit cleaner, you know? …

toxic loyalty

ok so like i gotta get this off my chest and i know im gonna get ripped apart but whatever and im just like im up late studying for this stupid stats final and my brain is just fried and i cant focus… …

toxic loyalty

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens when you always put a friend first?▾
Consistently putting a friend's needs before your own can lead to feeling depleted, resentful, or overlooked. It might also prevent you from pursuing your own goals or taking care of your health.
Is it bad to always help a friend?▾
Helping a friend is a positive aspect of friendship, but doing so to the point of personal detriment can become problematic. Healthy friendships involve a balance of support and mutual consideration, not constant one-sided sacrifice.
How do I stop putting friends before myself?▾
Start by identifying situations where you tend to over-extend yourself and consider what you genuinely have the capacity to offer. It can be helpful to practice saying 'no' when you are already feeling overwhelmed or if a request would compromise your own essential needs.

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