" ... she has it in her to say that has made me feel amazingly awsome! it is like a refresher ..."
This is exactly what she intended - a refresher. A way to keep you in the game. These folks have the uncanny ability to know when we are getting weary enough to walk. Then, hearts and flowers! We smile, become gratified that we "knew" they love us they just have trouble expressing it, we know how special they are, and this just proves it. Add your own. It's a method of control.
BTW - what is wrong with "I love you", a statement with some feeling? Instead of putting the 'responsibility' on us - "you know" how much ...
And heck, "how much" can be zero or negative! All those words take away from the feeling, and we fill in the blanks. OMG.
It's funny how when you go through so much with someone, the little things mean so much. After all the hateful things my son has said to me, when he smiles at me and calls me mama or grabs me and hugs me out of the blue, I'm walking on air. You see the glimpses of who they really are then. It's those moments that keep us hopeful that they are in there somewhere and maybe we'll see more of that side as the "cycle" passes and they get more stable.
Is your friend taking medicine?