(First response to Blog, and then praises)
I would have to say that the cutoff point, when you realize it's not going anywhere other than you giving, while they take, or barely give, is an intuitive and tested method. It might take a couple of tries, and sometimes longer than you would have liked that you allowed before it hits you.
Example: Had a RL friend who I met at school, we hit it off, both of us highly energetic and excitable people. Mind you she was(is) bi-polar, and she told me this rather quickly. Now I had no problem with that, even when I began to realize what that meant (through experiencing it) the problems started when I realized there was more to the story. Such as the fact that the line 'you have a disease, you are not the disease' didn't quite apply to her and her abuse/neglect of her meds didn't help.
I can't tell you the number of times I helped her through so many of her downs, watching over her and even trying to make sure she took her meds. Helping her through sooooo many downs that were fueled by heartbreak and the added problems that come with that. It was exhausting at times, to the point that I just couldn't feel much of my own emotions when I should have. Seems odd to write that as I never though of myself as a very sacrificial person, perhaps I should ponder that later.
Anyways, I thought that after a couple of falling outs, we were good. She had moved out of her old place, obtained herself a good job and a great apartment and was doing well. I was (and still am not) in such a great spot, but I didn't begrudge her her happiness. That is until I hung out with a mutual friend with ours who informed me that my 'friend' had been talking quite the massive amount of infuriating and hurtful shit. Apparently I was sleeping with my roommate (which I wasn't) was still doing hard drugs (I wasn't even addicted when I had been doing them, and this occurred a year after I had given up the recreational use of drugs) and that I wasn't going anywhere with my life, ever.
Needless to say, there was the cut-off point, I haven't spoke to her since and she still sends me messages asking why. That was a year ago, and I'm still furious when I think about it.
That long winded example being an extreme one where I should have seen it coming, but I'm a bit dumb when it comes to other people that I care about. It's a prime example of why people should be more careful in establishing who you trust, because sometimes they don't show their true colors until several months down the road. Taking all that you gave them, all that you put stock into, and shit all over it, throwing it back into your face.
Then again you can have friends like my best friend, who I've known for almost 4 years, and I could go on and on about. But I won't go into that and steal more from the blog.
Speaking of, very well done on that Pixi, I couldn't agree more with everything that you put out. It's something more people should think of when they choose their friends.