Based on this article, you sound similar to me. A lot of people are more guarded and have less problems cutting people out of their lives, but those who are naturally more empathetic sometimes end up "overgiving".

My mother was institutionalised for almost 15 years, and during this time I was pretty much her only emotional support. Not only this, but I've wrestled with schizophrenia and an assortment of addictions for most of my life. Supporting my mother and chronically ill wife while mentally ill took a real toll on me. The latter used to tell me, "you can't pour from an empty cup".

Sometimes we think the "right thing" is total self-sacrifice,but what good are we to others totally burnt out?

Striking that balance between compassion and self-preservation is one of the most difficult challenges in life, because it requires us to re-evaluate our code of ethics.

Great article!