I’m talking to someone that’s kind, understanding, and amazing; like no one I’ve ever met. We have been friends since August 2020, and admitted we liked each other March of this year. I have never felt this way about someone before (before them, long distance was out of the question). However, I am pretty certain I am an empath, and I struggle with my own mental health issues. So, a good amount of the time, I am vulnerable to feeling drained.

This person struggles with their own mental health issues, and their energy can be very negative a lot of the time. It’s come to the point that when I ask a simple question, I already expect and know there will be negativity. It brings my mood down even more, and it can be hard to cope with. I want to help as much as I can and I try to help when I can, but at the same time I need to be mindful of my own feelings and energy. Sometimes, it just feels like they want to just bask in their own negativity and “whine”, I guess you could say.

We have a strong connection and care about each other deeply. That’s been proven time and time again. I think it’s worth fighting for, so I have no intent of calling things off.

I have limited dating experience, so any advice would be appreciated, thank you.