Papa Roach - Scars Lyrics Meaning

A lot of people are saying it's a romantic relationship, but after I experienced something this song made so much more sense to me. It doesn't have to be a romantic relationship and it doesn't have to be literal physical scars.

I think that my experience resonates very closely to the song's meaning. I had a close friend with a lot of issues. She was a mess, and "compassion's in my nature" so I tried to help her carry her burdens and take on her pain as my own. I "left my heart open" to her, but she "didn't understand" the sacrifices I was making to try to help her. I knew she was quickly going down a dark path, but she refused to accept it and address her problems. She was "drowning in the water," so I "offered" and then really "tried to grab her hand".

My weakness was that I cared for her too much. I bared my heart too much. I figuratively "tore it open" and had to keep "sewing it shut" because of the pain I was going through.

At the end of it all I was left with the feelings this song conveys. I was angry and frustrated. I became a mess, "insane" by trying to take on her problems, and I realized that she was being selfish by channeling all her problems to me. I couldn't fix her. "I can't help you fix yourself," but "at least I could say I tried". I was so sad to have failed, but I had to "move on with my own life". I didn't want to see her, I was depressed and "just wanted to be alone".

So this is my take on it. After that experience the song resonated really strongly with me and made complete sense to me.