For anyone that might need a boost like that

maybe not the intent of the OP but all this reads to me as is a justification of abusive behavior and by virtue guilt someone for wanting to cut ties. I didn't really need that.

Some people it might work like that, but it might work better for some others, which is perfectly alright

it's meant to be a play on a phrase that's targeted at people who bail out on someone in times of need

yeah. the original is something like "if you can't handle me at my worst, you don't deserve me at my best"

Yeah that

personally i found this take on it really empowering and it helped me live with myself

Yeah. As someone who has been abandoned in their worst by people who were supposed to be supportive... it really does help.

... and of course I'm a magpie.

I've been there. And as someone who has felt weak in the past because I've been kicked down and abandoned, this kind of mindset's helped me get back up on my feet too

I'm in agreeance with salad up there

that's kind of a bad faith take, though? it's specifically derived from a statement concerning fair-weather friends who don't bother to offer a lick of support.

It's not about cases where boundaries are in place or abusive relationships.

agreeing with monkey, frog, magpie, and mule

wow plurk dragging me for my bad breath

...though the other person in question may be busy trying to handle themselves at their worst and can't really cope with someone else at their worst on top of that

Like I just said: it's not about boundaries. It's literally about people who are "fair-weather friends".

everyone is fighting their own battles and sometimes for mental health reasons, we do say "I can't handle this outside issue right now" and rightfully step away

there's a difference between "I can't handle this right now" and "I only want to talk to you when your mood meets my standards"

Right. But that's literally not what any of this is about. It's about the people who refuse to even offer sympathy. It's about the people who refuse to offer even the slightest bit of support and only deem someone worth being around when they act like everything is perfect.

Monkey phrased it better, yeah.

Remember, too, that "at my worst" in this instance is used to describe circumstances that are either out of the person's control or are possibly even something someone is trying to actively change. As someone who got dropped on their ass over having breakdowns caused by medications, I definitely see this from the point of the OP.

Like mule said, it's in response to people who aren't willing to even be there for you, not the people who are like "Woah hey I need to back off while you get sorted"

well this went from empowering to serious

mood shark, mood

All the hugs to you, salad; even though the intent was different (and I appreciated it) I hope you'll be okay.

I can understand where Salad is coming from, as someone who came out of an abusive relationship recently.

And all I can say is that was not intended that way, I'm sorry it came across that way (even if I'm not OP, I agreed with the sentiment) and I hope you get out of your own situation okay /hug

I've only ever seen the "if you can't handle me at my worst you don't deserve me at my best" phrase used by abusive people, so I get where salad is coming from too.

yeah it's been appropriated by abusive people as a way to excuse their behaviors, but the original message is fair-weather friends so I can see both sides here