One thing I hate about texting?

[2vermont]

People in your life who use it as a way to be at their beck and call. If you don't text back in a timely fashion they want to know why or they then call and leave a message with some passive aggressive comment.

How do you break this cycle without hurting the other person and feeling guilty? In my case it is a family member who I know doesn't have a lot people in their life to speak with about certain things. I tend to be that person, but it's really bugging me that it's as if they expect it now (and on their time schedule), KWIM? Also, despite being super stressed myself, it seems as if their issue is more important. In other words, they "understand", but then continue to stress me out more with their stuff.

Does this sound familiar at all? If so, please let me know what you do/did.

TIA.

ETA: I may DD this.

[UMaineTeach]

I would let them know that you consider all texts, from anyone, to be non-urgent and that if there is an urgent need to talk to you they can call.
Then if they call and it's not life or death and you can't talk right then say that and that you will call back later - and then do call back later.

[heightsyankee]

IMO, I would not tell them to call because I find calls more annoying than texts. I think you should just tell this person that you were not available at the time and that if you don't get back to them it's because you are not in a position to text or call. Just tell them when you're in that situation, multiple calls or texts won't be answered because they can't. You're simply not available to talk. Because I am totally crass, this is where I would add "Last time you texted, I was up in the stirrups."

[aurora]

Well, I tell people that I don't have a texting plan so if they text I either won't respond at all or will respond by calling (at my convenience). It's true, and it's actually very effective, I find. It's tough when you feel like you're the only one a loved one can/will lean on for support. I actually ended up scaling back a relationship with a family member drastically because her needs were just so frequent and overwhelming - I stopped calling as often, and really scaled back when I was willing to answer (this was before texting). I felt terrible, but it had become such a burden that it was really affecting me negatively, and it had been going on so long that I felt more like a crutch than a help. I am *much* happier now, and our relationship isn't what it once was but isn't bad.