The problem with being a hero...
You know, growing up with the stories I did - legends, comics, movies, and soforth - I came to think of myself as a hero of sorts. I was always a superhero, or a video game hero, or somesuch. Today, I still do, but it's the more watered-down, universal archetype of the Jungian hero, who everybody is. (See also: [THIS])
Part of the problem of delusionally thinking of one's self as a knight in shining armor (aside from jousting against windmills) is that a man finds himself venturing out in search of damsels in distress. The thing about such damsels is they tend to stay distressed.
In other words, their lives ALWAYS need periodic saving.
It is vexing when this is true in a metaphorical, symbolic sense.
It is agonizing and horrifying when it is true in the literal sense.
Unlike the Princess Peach, the Andromeda, or the Lois Lane, they are not being terrorized by some external dragon or villain. The real-life damsel in distress is, more often than not, oppressing herself. She is self-destructing under the weight of bipolar disorder, unipolar depression, borderline personality disorder, alcoholism, drug use, or what have you. There is no armor or force field strong enough to protect yourself from that kind of dysfunction in close proximity. There is no mystic sword, magic spell, or particle cannon strong enough to destroy it. There's only one solution:
Avoid the self-destructors, lest they take you down with them.
I remember one girl who would tell me stories of the various things in her past (some people, but mostly obscure music) that had "saved her life." I knew it was in the literal sense, too. She would have offed herself, but for a chance encounter with a person or a new band. Then, over time, it dawned on me: Her life consistently needed saving very couple of years.
That can't be healthy, can it?
Since '08 or so, I have to say that the best relationships I have had have been with women in recovery, who were on meds or seeing a therapist. (Best-case scenario: both!)
So now, feeling myself on the verge of undertaking another Archetypal Grail Quest (for the best of reasons this time), I'm going to be a lot more selective about the companions I have at my side. Certainly, I would welcome one who has been on a Grail Quest or two of her own.