I want to help you but I have to keep myself healthy to do so. So if there is no way I can convince you to take your medicine then I guess I’ll just have to empathize with the pain. It’s horrible but I have to keep a distance otherwise I’ll be dragged into your misery so deep I don’t think I’ll escape. It’s so hard seeing you suffer unnecessarily but every time I take a deeper role you project the illness on M-E leading to such confusion and anger that I think I’m coming down with the illness. Mental health isn’t a virus but it sure feels that way when trying to help someone who doesn’t accept the diagnosis.