How do I stop feeling like I'm a burden to others?

Feeling like a burden to others is a painful experience that often stems from low finding identity/building-self-worth" class="internal-link">self-worth and the belief that your needs, problems, or presence are too much for others to handle. This feeling typically develops from early experiences where you learned that your emotional needs were inconvenient, overwhelming, or unwelcome. You might have grown up in a family where expressing problems or asking for help was met with frustration, guilty feelings-tripping, or rejection, teaching you that your struggles were burdensome to others. Major depressive disorder can intensify this feeling by creating a negative filter through which you interpret others' responses to you. You might focus on any signs of fatigue or frustration while dismissing evidence that people genuinely care about you and want to help. The managing fear of being a burden can become self-fulfilling because it might cause you to withdraw from Interpersonal relationship, refuse help when you need it, or constantly apologize for your existence. This isolation often makes you feel worse and can actually strain Interpersonal relationship more than simply being authentic about your struggles would. It's important to recognize that healthy Interpersonal relationship involve mutual support and interdependence. Everyone goes through difficult times and needs help sometimes - this is part of being human, not a character flaw. The people who truly care about you want to be there for you during tough times, just as you would want to be there for them. Consider whether you would view a friend as a burden for coming to you with their problems - most likely, you would feel honored that they trusted you enough to share their struggles. Challenge the assumption that your problems are uniquely overwhelming or that you're asking for too much. Practice accepting help and support when it's offered, and work on developing a more balanced view of your worth that doesn't depend on being completely self-sufficient.