I’ve been in a few situations where I need substantial help from strangers, and some have offered to help (most haven’t followed through) but I just can’t do it.

For example someone offered to help me move and I just feel super uncomfortable about it to the point where I’d rather risk something bad happening to me. Like I feel super awkward and uncomfortable accepting huge favours from strangers

Someone even offered a place to stay for me with my pets but I can’t accept it cause I feel way too awkward and like I owe them or something, like I have a huge fear and anxiety about it

Like I just feel like a disgusting parasite wasting their time and energy and it’s also humiliating

Is that normal?

  • kerrigan778
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    3 hours ago

    Normal? Yes, it’s pretty normal and common. Is it logical? No, not really. But is it actually unhealthy? Yes, yes it is.

  • HubertManne@piefed.social
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    4 hours ago

    It is for me. Heck im loathe to get help from firends and family. I think its jsut and independence thing.

  • Brave Little Hitachi Wand
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    12 hours ago

    It’s the alienation of modern living. Helping and getting help from perfect strangers is the most natural thing in the world for humans. We get a buzz off the altruism. They say the kindest thing you can do for someone is to accept their help.

    In this modern society we’ve created there’s this artificial sense that there’s no social fabric, only stranger danger and it’s bullshit. 97% of everyone is basically a good person being buffeted about by situational factors, so maybe it’s hard to see that they’re good. Just hard enough that you’re never sure if you’re seeing one of those 1 in 40 people who happen to be a pure monster.

    The scariest threat is an ambiguous one, so it’s not hard to see why we’re like this - but it’s much better for you and society if you can find a way to trust and lend a hand with each other. Hell, some of them will even tell you their name and remember you next time. Sooner or later, you’ve made a friend.

    There’s always the rare actually horrible person out there to be aware of, but most of us are basically fine I think.

    • Aneb
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      2 hours ago

      Sure 97% of people are nice to your face and like helping out. But also 34% of them (in America) voted for a xenophobic dictator in chief. And 33% of Americans didn’t even care enough to vote to stop a genocidal cheese puff from dismantling core government institutions. So sure 97% of people are perfectly nice to your face and turn around and vote for the extinction of minority people

  • Curious Canid@lemmy.ca
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    10 hours ago

    I think most people from my culture (midwest American) find it uncomfortable to get help from anyone. It seems vaguely embarrassing, even when it’s from friends or family. It’s much easier to give than to receive.

    I’ve been on both ends of that pretty regularly and I have been working on learning to accept help gratefully as well as giving it. It is surprisingly difficult.

  • thezeesystem@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    11 hours ago

    In today’s society in America it is “normal” however it’s not good for society, I think it’s called something like hyper individualism, where everyone only takes care of them selfs and if they can’t there deemed “bad” it’s extremely toxic andin america it’s considered “normal”

  • Snot Flickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    12 hours ago

    I think it’s at least partially cultural. Depending on the country you’re living in, it may be part of the culture.

    I am from the USA, and the “rugged individualist” mindset is rampant and unhealthy.

    It can also come from family history. Most of my feelings of being a burden come from a childhood of being told I was a burden even though I never asked to be brought into this world.

    I still feel like a burden even though I didn’t ask to have cancer, either.

    It often comes from how family characterizes it, as well. I explained to my mother recently that she doesn’t even notice she’s doing it. I have worked hard all my life and it is not my fault that society has devalued the kind of work I do and that even though I have worked long hours, always worked holidays, and in general busted my ass, I have very little to show for it. Yet, when she talks about my sister, she characterizes it as “Well, your sister grew up and got out on her own,” as though I haven’t grown up and haven’t been doing grown up things and haven’t just been overworked and underpaid. She has promised to try to not talk about it that way anymore because late into her seventies, she’s finally fucking realizing how damaging that is and how much it hurts when I have worked hard and been an adult, too. I chose jobs and careers which still have a lot of value in society but society has decided they don’t want to pay for, and she is finally recognizing that instead of placing the blame on me or acting like I haven’t “grown up” because I struggled and am still struggling.

    In the USA at least, I commonly hear people tell each other that they should drop someone as a friend or a partner if it’s too hard to support them. It makes me ill inside. Nobody asked to be here, nobody asked for the problems they have, and if we weren’t all overworked and put on the verge of homelessness, we might actually have the capacity to care for each other instead of giving up and trying to find someone else.

    • phdepressed@sh.itjust.works
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      10 hours ago

      The friend dropping is a common sentiment not so different from the “get a lawyer, delete Facebook, hit the gym” of relationship advice. That said “get your own mask on before helping others”. Dropping a friendship entirely is often a bit much but if I’m liable to depressive episodes and interacting with a certain friend gets/keeps me in such an episode, I have to help myself first. That may require staying away until my mental health is sufficiently improved or their mannerisms are improved such that interacting doesn’t cause a depressive episode.

  • Kissaki@feddit.org
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    10 hours ago

    I think that’s somewhat common and natural, but also unnecessary and uncalled for.

    Let the other party decide for themselves whether they’re fine helping and to what degree. From your side, take the help you can get.

    • jlyndbyOP
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      9 hours ago

      Wdym by uncalled for? Like… idk I can’t control how I feel 😭

      Plus since so many people flopped maybe they really aren’t ok with helping

      • Kissaki@feddit.org
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        9 hours ago

        By uncalled for I mean there’s not really a factual and warranted reason for it.

        I tried to present the two sides opposed to each other. How many people feel vs how that’s usually not factually appropriate. Doesn’t magically change that we feel that way of course.

  • dutchkimble@lemy.lol
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    9 hours ago

    There’s no such thing as “normal”. Every person, every culture, etc is different - you do you, and be happy. Having said that, from my point of view, these dont seem like exactly strangers, and you’re probably a good person, and it could be their way of saying they want to be a better friend to you.

  • Cyniez
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    12 hours ago

    Yeah it is fine i feel the same

  • Kit@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    10 hours ago

    That’s your survival instinct doing what it’s supposed to do. Don’t let a stranger into your home, don’t go into a stranger’s home. That’s just asking to be a victim.

  • RagingHungryPanda@lemm.ee
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    12 hours ago

    This is a very common thing, especially those with Nice Guy ™ syndrome. The gist of it there is that you don’t feel like you have the worth or don’t deserve good things, or something along those lines, so someone helping you violates that narrative, more or less.

    I don’t know if this applies or if I’m way off in left field, but Dr. Robert Glover is a phsychologist who’s been working on these traits for a long time. Here’s his website and book.

    • Battle Masker
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      11 hours ago

      I thought the “Nice guy” thing was some bullshit where if you do something nice, you deserve to get something good in return, and not getting anything in return is “disrespectful” which sets off those nIcE gUyZ and leads to them insulting and berating whoever they help.

      Also that creepo mentality would be a valid reason to feel uncomfortable to ask for help

  • kitnaht
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    11 hours ago

    Yes, it’s very common to be wary of people you don’t know.

    • jlyndbyOP
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      11 hours ago

      It’s not because I’m scared of them I don’t think… it’s more so I just feel uncomfortable about the fact they’re doing something for me

      • kitnaht
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        10 hours ago

        The first people who “wanted to help” when my family bought a hotel to renovate, were the ones who robbed us blind. 2 of them were homeless, and we gave them a place to live. Still stole everything we owned.

        I’d say it’s still normal to be wary of people’s true intentions.