The Friend Who Always Complains — How Do I Stay Supportive Without Losing Myself?

Big Slick here 👊 Got a story or need advice? Text me now — might make it on Talk Ya Sh!t! 🎙️💯

Ever have that one friend who complains all the time? The friend who calls you with the same drama, the same problems, and the same negativity… but never wants solutions? In this episode, Big Slick dives deep into what happens emotionally when you become someone’s “emotional garbage can” and how constant complaining can drain your energy, your patience, and your peace.

We break down why some people complain nonstop, the psychology behind chronic negativity, and how their behavior can impact your mental health. You’ll learn how to spot the signs of emotional burnout, how to set boundaries without feeling guilty, and how to stay supportive without sacrificing your own sanity.

We also talk about:

• Why emotional dumping is different from venting
• How to respond when you’re overwhelmed but don’t want to lose the friendship
• Simple phrases that set boundaries without sounding harsh
• What to do when a friendship becomes one-sided
• How to protect your energy while still being compassionate

If you’ve ever hung up the phone feeling exhausted instead of connected, this episode will give you tools to find balance. You deserve relationships that pour into you—not just drain you.

Tap play and then share your experience:
 Do you have a friend who complains nonstop? How do you handle it?

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Write in to the “Let’s Talk About It Letter” at: [e-mail]

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Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (00:05):
You, you, and you.
Did I say you?
Yeah, you too.
Now, let's talk about it.
What up, what up, what up?
It's your boy, Big Slick, andwelcome to Talk Your Shit.
Yo, check this out.
We got another great show foryou today.

(00:27):
But first, let me give a shoutout to everybody out there, all
the listeners.
Whether you're at home, at work,in your car, and all the truck
drivers on the road, Iappreciate you tuning in.
As always, we got a greatepisode for today.
And I'm gonna jump right in it,man.
I'm gonna jump right in thisletter.
I'm gonna give you my honest,unfiltered, raw, uncut opinion

(00:50):
about it because that's what Ido, and that's the only thing I
know how to do.
So let's get it popping.
All right.
The friend who always complains.
Someone close to me complainsabout everything all the time,
and it's draining.
How do I stay supportive withoutlosing my sanity?

(01:15):
Oh, I love this questionalready.
First of all, I know we can allrelate to this.
We always got somebody thatcomplains all the time, whether
it's a friend, whether it's aco-worker, or whatever.
You know, I'm saying we alwaysrun into these people.
Now, this is a close friendthat's complaining, right?

(01:36):
All the time.
First of all, this is what I dowhen when people complain a lot.
First of all, I look at it like,okay, you complaining all day,
are you the problem?
Sometimes people that complainall day is the problem, and they
just don't want to agree thatthey're the problem, so they
complain because it's easier tocomplain.
Let's let's take a look at that.

(01:57):
Man, people complain all daybecause it's easy to do it, it's
harder to actually resolve anissue, it's easier to point the
finger and complain to otherpeople.
Now, if you're on the other sideof this and you listening to
somebody complain all the day,me personally, I just go shut
the fuck up.
Why are you talking to me somuch about I don't got time for

(02:19):
bullshit, man?
That's that's me personally, andthat's just straight how I am.
I don't need to hear somebodycomplaining all day.
You know what I'm saying?
If you don't got a solution towhat you're talking about, then
what are you really talkingabout?
You know what I mean?
You just walk around complainingall day, saying, Oh, is this
person fought?
And why is this and why is thishappening?
So, what are you doing about it?

(02:41):
How are you solving it?
You know, and when you listen tosomebody complain all day, it'll
drive you crazy, like how yousaid, without losing your
sanity.
If you're listening to somebodycomplain all day, it'll drive
you crazy.
So stop listening to thebullshit, just tell them, cut

(03:03):
them off, stop listening to themso much.
You know, when they complain,change the subject or fall back
for a minute so you can regroupand collect your sanity before
you go crazy, or do what I doand just tell them to shut the
fuck up.
That's it.
They can take it how they wantto take it.
Who cares?
Like, nobody don't want to hearcomplaining all day.

(03:23):
Everybody is going throughsomething.
Let's be realistic.
Come on now.
Everybody is going throughsomething, you know what I'm
saying?
But the good thing about it isthat at least you can go through
something.
It's a lot of people that can'tgo through nothing right now
because they're not here withus.
So be happy.
You alive to complain aboutcertain things, you know.

(03:46):
I'm saying people don't look atthe big picture, you know.
I mean, it's not that bad, it'salways somebody else that's in a
worse condition than you are.
So, what are we reallycomplaining about?
This little petty shit, laterfor all that little bullshit,
man.
If you up, you breathing, youwoke up this morning, today is a
good day.
Whatever else happens is notthat big, right?

(04:09):
Because you still here toexperience it.
So, what I tell you is this tellyour friend to stop all that
complaining shit, because nobodywants to hear it, right?
And I guarantee when you dothat, they'll stop coming to you
complaining because they knowyou don't got time for that
shit.
But if you sit around and listento it all day, they're gonna

(04:31):
keep on unloading their baggageon you, and then before you know
it, you're gonna turn into acomplaining person because
that's what happens.
You know, we actually turn intothe company we keep.
That's why you got to keep goodcompany around you so that good
stuff can rub off on you.
If you stay around negative,you're gonna track negative and

(04:51):
you're gonna be negative.
So that's what it is, man.
Stop listening to the bullshit.
You know, I challenge everybodyout here today, whenever you get
a chance to do it.
If you know three people thatcomplain all day, go up to them
and tell them to shut the fuckup and get over it.

(05:12):
Get over it, man.
What are we talking about allday?
This was an easy one for me.
Let's keep it pushing.
This is big slick.
It's been another episode ofTalk Your Shit.
Now, listen, if you want to be apart of the show, just email in
to talk your shit daily atgmail.com.

(05:33):
That's talk your shit daily atgmail.com.
I'll pull your email, put it onthe show, and give you my
honest, uncut, unfiltered, rawopinion about it because that's
what I do.
This is Big Slick, it's beenanother episode of Talk Your

(05:54):
Shit Peace out of mouth.