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BeyondBlue Hey there - read this to see what this section is all about
  • replies: 0

Hello and welcome This is the Relationships and Family section where members can talk about what is happening in their lives and the people they live with. We know that who we live with can make a big impact on our wellbeing, both in a good way or a ... View more

Hello and welcome This is the Relationships and Family section where members can talk about what is happening in their lives and the people they live with. We know that who we live with can make a big impact on our wellbeing, both in a good way or a negative way. As always, we want to hear your story and how it impacts you and encourage everyone to support each other with kindness. There are a few things to consider when posting in this section so we can all get the most out of it: Everyone’s situation is unique. We all do our best to share what is important in our story but we can never share it all. Let’s be mindful we can’t know all of everyone’s story. Anonymous but public. These posts are available to everyone and while the moderation team keeps the Forums anonymous, posts are still online for everyone to read. Have a think about what you want to share to get the best support for you. Please stay safe. This space is an amazing way to seek support from others who might understand what you are going through. We want to hear how you are going and what is happening for you. Please also consider 1800RESPECT if you don’t feel safe or 000 if you are in danger right now. You deserve to be safe. Thank you again for joining this conversation, your contributions are worthy and important to us here. Beyond Blue

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BethD Decrease in Prisqit making me feel sick and estrangement from son
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Hi, I just wanted to know if anyone else had experienced withdrawal symptoms and how they felt and secondly I decided to ring my son whom I had blocked and got no response from both his personal and work phone. Do I just leave it?

Hi, I just wanted to know if anyone else had experienced withdrawal symptoms and how they felt and secondly I decided to ring my son whom I had blocked and got no response from both his personal and work phone. Do I just leave it?

Earth Girl Passive aggressive, never takes accountability or stops
  • replies: 6

My parents are weird about food. They get angry when people eat from McDonalds and my mum says they are poisoning themselves and are stupid. My mum won't shut up about her weight and thinks that everyone is thinking about it when nobody gives a crap.... View more

My parents are weird about food. They get angry when people eat from McDonalds and my mum says they are poisoning themselves and are stupid. My mum won't shut up about her weight and thinks that everyone is thinking about it when nobody gives a crap. Only my dad says things to her about it, and I try to get him to stop. My mum is allowed to eat lots of junk food, but if I eat any junk food at all, she thinks I shouldn't even though she eats so much more of it than me and she holds on to what I eat even if I just eat something small and makes a big deal about it. When my nephew comes over, my mum makes passive aggressive remarks about me to him all the time and I keep nicely asking her to stop and telling her that I don't like it and every time she says she won't do it again not because she regrets it, but because she's trying to get out of it and then she soon does it again. She knows what she's doing but won't stop. Today, she asked me what I was eating and I said I was eating vegetables with cheese and she said to my nephew "Earth Girl eats a lot of cheese" which she knew I wouldn't like her saying. I told her she was being passive aggressive and she said "Okay, I won't do it again. It was just a joke." I told her it was still passive aggressive and my sister said that she was just trying to say sorry (which she wasn't, she was trying to get out of it), but since my sister is allowed to argue with mum all the time in front of me, but I'm not allowed to do that, I just said okay. When my sister and nephew left, I said to my mum can you please try harder to not be passive aggressive because you never stop and she said "Okay, I will. I sort of thought we already talked about this." I said I wasn't allowed to say my piece and I explained to her that she wouldn't like it if I said to my nephew in front of her, "Grandma eats so much junk food" and she said "No, I would not like that" and then I said then stop doing it to me and then she said "Well, that was rude too" and then I said that I was RETALIATING because I have heard this crap from her for years and I never say anything about what she does and she says stuff that is just as mean and stuff that is meaner than that about me all the time and that I hated her and I've been wanting to say that for years, but I've held it back all this time. It sounds bad to say that she eats a lot of junk food, but it's okay when she says things meaner than that about me all the time and she's not even doing it out of retaliation, she just does it because it doesn't hurt HER, but when you retaliate, then she thinks you're the rude one. I've been putting up with this for ages. She gets mad at other people for being fat or eating any junk food and she puts people down for it even though she does the same thing and often worse and you're the one in the wrong if you finally say anything back.

SadSack Sexless marriage, can I save it?
  • replies: 11

Hi all,I'm new to forums, so please be patient if I mess up the etiquette or formatting etc.I find myself in a situation within my marriage that I could never have imagined even 5yrs ago. We have been married for 34 yrs (myself M 65yo, her 61 yo)& we... View more

Hi all,I'm new to forums, so please be patient if I mess up the etiquette or formatting etc.I find myself in a situation within my marriage that I could never have imagined even 5yrs ago. We have been married for 34 yrs (myself M 65yo, her 61 yo)& we had always enjoyed an intimate & sexually satisfying relationship.Around 5yrs ago everything came to a dead stop, no intimacy & no sex despite frequent attempts on my part & constant rejections. I was aware that menopause symptoms had been fairly noticeable so I tried to be patient & supportive hoping things would return to some sort of normal & switched focus to seeking intimacy rather than physical sex, but I found that even an embrace or touch of any kind (not sexual) caused her to recoil rather than reciprocate. We last had physical sex 3 yrs ago when I reminded her it had been 2 yrs since our previous tryst. She laughed at me at the time & I was genuinely hurt by that. Several weeks later she seduced me totally unexpectedly, but it was obvious to both of us it was done as a guilt trip more than anything.Now a further 3 yrs down the track I find myself becoming bitter & angry at her dismissive attitude. Around 9 months ago she had a coughing fit that unfortunately resulted in a prolapsed bladder which she is waiting to have surgery on (hopefully soon). I suggested maybe we could engage in some mutual non-penetrative activity but she blankly refused. This medical condition has now become the excuse she needs to justify her position, even though the rot had set in 5 yrs earlier.I'm sorry for the long winded post but I'm at my wits end. I'm even considering visiting a sex worker or finding a casual hookup, but I know this is only postponing the problem & I still love my wife despite all this & don't want a divorce although that is starting to look like the only final resolution.Hoping someone on here might have some similar experience & clear headed advice as my head is all over the place right now. Thanks for listening.Sad:-(

BethD Family estrangement
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Hi it’s me again. I just wanted to hear if any other parent had cut their child off and how they’ve coped. I have blocked my son for three weeks due to financial manipulation and feel heartbroken and guilty and every other feeling and can’t seem to m... View more

Hi it’s me again. I just wanted to hear if any other parent had cut their child off and how they’ve coped. I have blocked my son for three weeks due to financial manipulation and feel heartbroken and guilty and every other feeling and can’t seem to move on. Any thoughts advice strategies would be greatly welcomed and appreciated.

Tigerland190922 Father dies and feeling nothing (cold as ice)
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This is the first time I have posted in 8 years and I'm in a much better place than I was back then through lots of hard work and life changes such as surrounding yourself with the right people no matter how small that circle is and yes it generally ... View more

This is the first time I have posted in 8 years and I'm in a much better place than I was back then through lots of hard work and life changes such as surrounding yourself with the right people no matter how small that circle is and yes it generally gets smaller as we get older. I feel like posting again and getting a few thoughts off my chest. To anyone reading this to you can overcome anything with the righty support around you, doing positive things and trying to be a good person. I just found out a few weeks ago my father had passed away. we hadn't spoken in about 15 years anyway so he wasn't a part of my life anyway. when I got told I was shocked but felt no emotion whatsoever. Does that make me a bad person or cold hearted? I don't have hate for any of my family except my sister she is the only one I speak to and love out of everyone and I'm a 41 year old man now with my own life. I'm not looking for sympathy as we all have our own stories and experiences but since I left home when I was 16 I have struggled immensely mentally. More so it really started to hit me when I was 23 as the seeds of depression and anxiety had been planted when I was young and what myself and other 2 siblings experienced growing up. I guess through my experiences it has made me cold hearted in regards to if someone is negative or toxic family or not they will not be in my life. I will not continue to be hurt physically or mentally by anyone especially as I have my own life now. The only question I have really is I don't understand how someone can have 3 kids out there and even as they face death feel no remorse or empathy or want to make direct contact on the way out. My phone number hadn't changed from when he told me 15 years ago I'm busy call you next week same old spiel from the man who helped bring me into this world. Just showed me he was a coward whilst living and before exiting this world. He was married to a controlling and evil scientologist who may or may not have told him to forget his 3 kids existed. You know there is a problem if all 3 kids move out before they are 16 the home obviously isn't a happy place. This grinds my gears more so because my partner and I now who is the best thing that's ever happened to me are trying to have just one child through ivf as we both have our own health issues and we have failed 3 times already. we would be amazing parents and would love that child through any circumstance which is what or my siblings never received. That frustrates me if I'm being honest and all I want to know is why you never wanted to know about your 3 kids? Cowardly act from the ultimate coward even at the end. I am very empathetic I actually cry in movies that have family situations or close loving relationships or just emotional moments just ask my partner every time I'm gone haha the waterworks are on. But with people who I feel nothing for I or who have hurt me i can go the opposite so I hope that is a normal feeling. Sometimes I feel darker thoughts towards people who have harmed me but I am much better at controlling those these days through the immense counselling and medication and support from my now partner. i guess our experiences as children make us into who we are as adults good and bad and i still hear the voices in my head and picture things that happened like it was yesterday but you get better at controlling and accepting them in time. I hope all the parents reading this understand what you do today will impact on your kids for the rest of their lives so be careful what you say and do and how you act because time doesn't erase just allows people to potentially control better.

Tirion Half a decade break up
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Hey everyone,I am new to this and gathered I would give this a go. About 4 weeks ago my girlfriend of almost 5 years broke up with me, this was due to an intense mental health crisis I responded to poorly. You see I live with type 2 ASD and BPD, 2025... View more

Hey everyone,I am new to this and gathered I would give this a go. About 4 weeks ago my girlfriend of almost 5 years broke up with me, this was due to an intense mental health crisis I responded to poorly. You see I live with type 2 ASD and BPD, 2025 I spent in and out of psychiatric hospitals getting treatment. End of OCT 25 there was a rift in my family home, my mother's dog got rough with my cat, which we caught on our cat camera. I instigated a conversation with her during a home visit (I was in a psychiatric hospital at the time), this blew out of proportion due to her own instabilities and she evicted my partner and I from my family home. My partner had to reconnect to her narcissistic mother for help as my mother wanted everything out within a day or two - I was unable to be discharged due to my condition. This situation broke my foundation and shattered my sense of self, my partner and I both went down hill and situations got worse moving into her mother's home. I got extremely unwell to a point my personality snapped and I feel into a distructive decision that in a normal day to day is not part of something I do. I created an inappropriate add on a site for a massage service and interacted with different people, one in particular I provided my personal mobile to- it got out of hand quickly and lead to a few days of chats, photos and making plans. This was found while I was in the shower after a late night at work as we both leave out phones open to one another. I cheated during what was my lowest point and have been in and out of termoil since. She was my life partner and my mental health got to a point that ruined the one thing that made me happy. I did seek help during this and even before it got to this point, unfortunately the help failed to support me and I was left with myself. I did however book a psychiatrist session before anything was out, I was a week away from receiving that help. I still underwent it and it has made such a huge difference on my life...she tried me on a new medication that I have needed for so long. I have been struggling with this knowledge as we cannot take back certain actions. My now ex was my whole world, going through life without her is the hardest thing I have experienced. I have trouble making friends and the area I live is her hometown. My strongest struggle is not having someone to talk to everyday, living alone and losing my biggest support.

Opal48 Navigating grief & disappointment
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My childhood dog was euthanised last week, it was the hardest thing ever and I feel guilty, have regrets, and have been so sad over it. I knew it was coming as she was very very old, but it was still unexpected. My family and I were there for it, I h... View more

My childhood dog was euthanised last week, it was the hardest thing ever and I feel guilty, have regrets, and have been so sad over it. I knew it was coming as she was very very old, but it was still unexpected. My family and I were there for it, I had messaged my boyfriend letting him know what was going on, and he said sorry this is happening etc etc but he was out with friends so couldn’t call me or message. I asked if he could stay at my house that night for comfort and he said ok, but then texted me later saying he was too tired to drive to my house and because he was going on a weekend trip with his friends the next day he needed good sleep to drive. I said it’s fine but obviously felt disappointed but not angry at him as I understood he needed good sleep before driving. The next day though, he didn’t message me at all and left with all his friends, then didn’t have wifi for 3 days, so I did not hear from him all weekend. I felt a bit hurt he didn’t check in with me before he left & the day after I had to put my dog down, or even just a hey I’m leaving now I love you/hope you’re doing ok…. He got home today, and I let him know I felt a bit hurt that he didn’t check in with me, and he said he had absolutely no time whatsoever…. And to trust him that he genuinely had not even one second to talk to me. I am struggling to see his point of view, and I can’t see how he couldn’t find 2 minutes to check in with me the morning before his trip. (He didn’t leave till midday). Anyway he said he “doesn't regret anything” because he “didn’t do anything wrong” but I still feel a bit let down, and I’m not sure how to navigate this on top of the grief I’m feeling over losing my dog. (btw I’m not a crazy girlfriend who expects him to message me everyday, sometimes he doesn’t text me for 2 days because he is busy with work and I literally don’t care, but the fact I had lost my dog I felt I needed him but he wasn’t there for me made me sad)

white knight Estrangement of parents and their adult children
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We must remain general on this issue as all families have different dynamics. It's been suggested on several social media platforms that this is a trend, that cutting off parents has a more immediate effect than it did a few generations ago. This "tr... View more

We must remain general on this issue as all families have different dynamics. It's been suggested on several social media platforms that this is a trend, that cutting off parents has a more immediate effect than it did a few generations ago. This "trend" is done at times with no reason given often by the adult child and the ramifications can be enormous especially so when grandchildren are in the mix, the grief and loss is unimaginable. Human communication has likely changed. For a person to cut off a loved one and not explain the reason could be caused by- They know they wont get the person to see their side, to listenThe damage has been too great so discussion wouldnt be successfulThat the "crime" is too impacting to negotiate. That cutting off is used as a weapon to hurt or revengeThe person that is removed would be devastated and its normal to think of yourself in such situations but the person that removed you is also grieving. In fact there's grief with everyone including the grandkids. What is known is that the adult children are adults and they have the right to remove what they feel is a toxic parent or person. The parent often claims "grandparents have rights" (to grandchild access) of which they dont. This leads me to mention what parents can do, the only way to maximise the chances of reunification. Stay awayno more than one contact yearly eg xmas (in my experience birthday cards can create anger)Limit your discussions with outsiders on the topicSeek comfort/clarity through therapyExpand your activities for distraction and a lifeTry not to include your partnerThere is a substantial risk of further resentment if a parent thats been cut off treats their spouse as a team against the child. A spouse can be loyal without involvement and there is a better chance of the family healing with the spouse visiting and keeping up to date with their childs life. This parent could explain how the other parent thinks and reacts. If the spouse is involved more than that eg they choose to be cut off to remain loyal to their partner that means they are acting as a deputy that denies them of their own decisions. They give up their individual judgements and relationships for loyalty. I'm suggesting that isnt always productive. We should acknowledge that family division can also be caused by a personality disorder (as in my case) or mental health issues as well as a myriad of common reasons. If its obvious to one party there is something wrong with a person with a destructive attitude and they are in denial, that can result in the "no hope" scenario. The person removed often will declare "I didnt do anything wrong" as their sole defence and not mention at all the discussions for them to seek professional help. For some it's the end of their world, understandable, seeking therapy even if you believe you are right is an excellent way to seek clarity when clarity is not possible from their silent child. Also, be patient, get an active life and fill in your schedule. If you put pressure/obligation on an adult child thats decided to sever a relationship with you your chances of repairing it is lower. Thoughts? TonyWK

Guest_58344768 Our family is falling apart
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Hi There… to wind it up I don’t know what to do. My Husband has been battling depression and alcohol dependency for months, he has a history of bipolar and ADHD. He has been out of work for 2 months but looking after our autistic son who was kicked o... View more

Hi There… to wind it up I don’t know what to do. My Husband has been battling depression and alcohol dependency for months, he has a history of bipolar and ADHD. He has been out of work for 2 months but looking after our autistic son who was kicked out of daycare. He has moved our house during this time with not much help. We have no village. we have a 11yo, 3yo and 21m old. The two little ones are destroying us. My husband has anxiety about taking them out, so we are stuck home a lot and every time we take them out it’s a disaster.ive tried everything I have to support him…. I’ve tried getting him help, forgiven for alot of behaviour that has hurt me emotionally. I’ve paid for him to get away to relax twice in 3 months but nothing works… he still is burnt out, short, negative and seeps through the whole family, there is only so much I can take. I have thought about us renting 2 different houses for a year but staying together. That way we both get breaks away from the kids and can choose when we want to see eachother and make our interactions meaningful. Not eggshells, tolerating,and negative

Guest_56723402 Regret about reporting an adult
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How do I deal with my regret? I reported my father for an assault 4 years ago. Today he was found guilty and sentenced to 12 months but the sentence was suspended pending his health. I haven’t seen him in 4 years but when I saw him in court today he ... View more

How do I deal with my regret? I reported my father for an assault 4 years ago. Today he was found guilty and sentenced to 12 months but the sentence was suspended pending his health. I haven’t seen him in 4 years but when I saw him in court today he looked like he was knocking on deaths door. He’s an alcoholic and has liver cirrhosis. Without a transplant he will die in 1-3 years. I watched him walking out of court after sentencing and he looked at me and I looked at him and my eyes followed him as he walked away. Every bone in my body wanted to run and hug him because in that moment I no longer saw an abuser. I saw my dad. And now I’m filled with regret that maybe I shouldn’t have reported him. Because he looked so frail and depressed. And I saw the man that 12 year old me cried over when his health failed the first time. I don’t know how to get over this deep feeling of regret. Because all I think about is what could have happened if I didn’t report it. Would the abuse have stopped? Would we have a relationship? And I feel so guilty because everyone around me has dropped their lives to help me through this court case. And they all have such deep hatred for him. But me, the victim, I don’t hate him. And the idea of him dying, likely in a prison cell, is eating away at me. Because he’s still my dad