You have someone to grab dinner with after work, meet for a workout class, or text when you're looking for weekend plans.

You genuinely like them, but if something difficult happened in your life, they're probably not the first person you'd call.

If that sounds familiar, you may have what psychologists sometimes call a convenience friendship: a friendship built around shared routines, proximity, or availability rather than deep emotional intimacy.

These friendships are incredibly common among adults in New York Cityand there's a good reason why.

You're keeping up with work, responding to texts, and showing up for people — but inside, you're running on empty. Emotional exhaustion doesn't always look like a breakdown. For many people, especially in NYC, it hides behind productivity, perfectionism, and the pressure to keep pushing through. Learn how to recognize the signs of burnout and high-functioning anxiety, understand what's happening in your nervous system, and why you don't have to wait until you hit a wall to ask for support.