Friendshipping!

A rad teen listener asks: My friend keeps dumping her emotions on me. How can I help her get the care she needs?

Dear Friendshipping: my book club sucks these days.

Extroverts in the pandemic. Much like dark matter, our calculations suggest that they must exist, but we've had no hard evidence or firsthand accounts... UNTIL NOW. Our asker wants to know if she should just give up and move on from her less-active friendships. What's a socially starved extrovert to do? This week we also discuss writing exercises, Trin's scalp, and how deeply angry we are about the question we're going to answer next week.

Tale as old as balls: All of your friends really love doing ONE THING together, and it's the ONE THING that you simply do not want to do. Today's asker is tired of playing the often stressful online game "Among Us." Sounds like it's time again for stating some needs and boundaries! We'll also cover alligator attacks, Mario Kart, and the interesting fact that all children's screams sound the exactly same, whether they're having fun or being chased by a lion.

No matter how cool you may be (and we're pretty sure you're super cool), every human being in history has experienced rejection. This week, our asker wonders if it's worth reaching back out to a group of friends who removed her from their ongoing DnD game, but does not consider that she herself may have done something wrong. Interesting!

Today’s asker brings extremely relatable content: How can I be in touch with my friends, without actually expending the energy to have a conversation? We’ll discuss leaving “love packets” for your pals, the benefits of living underground, and how impressive it is any time you can give even a small amount of time to someone you love.

I haven't heard from my friend in a long time. Like: a lonnnng time. Are we still friends? This week, we discuss how equally valid all of the following options are: giving up, giving up for now but then trying again later, or trying now and giving up later.

How do I maintain friendships if I have a very, very limited social battery? This week we discuss how to keep yourself charged while still putting in the work and being a supportive, loving friend. Content warnings for discussion of diagnosis, brief mentions of depression, PTSD.

My roommate films the whole damn apartment when he’s on Discord. Is it normal to have Good-Smelling Room Spray in your bathroom? Cohabitation in the Age of COVID is tricky, but we’ve got special guest co-host Billie Bullock to help sort us out!

We found the only people on Earth who are consistently, meticulously getting ready for Zoom calls, and they are driving this week’s asker a little bonkers. Let us discuss this rare species and how to handle it when your friends look so perfect that it’s starting to give you feelings.

Alone time: a precious commodity in these trying times. How can I ask for and receive alone time when I'm stuck inside an apartment with two other adults 24 hours a day? This week, we'll discuss creating conditions that work for you and your housemates, just locking the freakin bedroom door already, and Trin's "two-hour long" Jimmy Eat World Greatest Hits Playlist (which in reality clocks in at 2 hours 57 minutes).

"My neighbors in having parties, not wearing masks in our apartment common spaces, and in no way following pandemic protocol. What can I do?" We've got some ideas to kick around. One involves laminating! Also, Jenn has a realization, and Trin takes a bathroom break. Content warnings for COVID; brief mentions of death and aging.

A listener wants to know how to best support her friends right now, even as she is feeling bad herself. This one's about managing the rage, ADHD coping mechanisms, and what you can do for yourself between therapy sessions.

"I’m staying home because COVID, but my friends are not. What can I do?" This week, everyone we know is staying home and not breathing on anyone, including the wonderful person who asked today’s question.

My friends are stressed. Can I tell them to take a break from the news cycle? Our answer is yes, no, maybe, and sometimes! Here's an episode about absorbing the world's crap like a Bounty paper towel.

This week: we're here, we're very tired, and we're discussing envy between friends. What if you and your friend want the exact same darn thing, but your friend is coming by it much more easily than you are? Also: Jenn speaks on behalf of the humble apple, and Trin puts their foot down for perhaps the very first time.

We're back, we're online, and we're not entirely sure if we remember how to talk to people. Let's find out! This week, an asker wonders: When should I switch therapists? How do I know if this therapist is The One? We're here to give you our hottest therapy tips, appreciate one another, and read from our upcoming book. Content warnings: The first nine minutes revolve around coping with existential dread, loss, and social distancing.

What is the right thing to do? What should you do when you tried to do the right thing, but ended up doing the wrong thing? We hope you’re in the mood for a good, deep cringe! After Animal Crossing and plants banter, we detail some choice moments when we really screwed the heck up, and how we made amends and recovered in the aftermath. CWs In banter (first 14 min): Humorous/cartoon skeleton, death, fake murder mentions. After banter: Racism, social mistakes discussion. Trump admin mention. 9m20s: Humorous 9/11 mention. 34m50s: Mention of Trump’s history of sexual assault. Dismissal of social injury, pussy hat discussion.