i am really struggling with the high expectations people have around communication with phones/text/email these days, and the assumption that i should always be available to react or respond to their messages, or that somethings wrong or i'm mean if i dont. it's too much.

on one side, i have people upset at me for not responding to their messages--responses they feel entitled to bc they messaged me. on the other side, i have people upset at me for basically always being on my phone, trying to keep up with these messages. i lose in both scenarios

im torn between never feeling "present" enough because im always dealing with messages, or feeling like im failing to be a good friend to others for not always replying. ppl overreact to boundaries when i try them, as though im being rude or im mad bc i raised those boundaries

im still trying to figure out how i can best manage this. but i would like to kindly ask people to check their assumptions and expectations around messages, and what it means if i don't respond. im so gd burned out by this and honestly just makes me want to ignore everyone.

final addition: the one thing that really angers me is when people regularly send me news items or troubling developments with no context or question, just to get my reaction, and then get upset if i dont respond. this may be the most frustrating form this takes, for me.