Relationship and family issues

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BeyondBlue Hey there - read this to see what this section is all about
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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 will keep it anonymous, its still up 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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Samb1987 Family financial parenting life
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Well i have just had throat surgery and to wake up to find out i have to pay $5526 back in child support as my daughter went to live with my mum i was still buying recharges clothes having her at least every second weekend paying her school bills uni... View more

Well i have just had throat surgery and to wake up to find out i have to pay $5526 back in child support as my daughter went to live with my mum i was still buying recharges clothes having her at least every second weekend paying her school bills uniform etc and giving her 100 a month we are going through such a hard financial time with me having time off due to possible thyroid cancer my 2 year old and 5 year old having alot of behaviour and sensory issues to now my eldest self-harming needing mental health assessments and the list goes on can i argue this i cant afford whats ahead with all these extra bills ive already been down since my marrige is failing and work refurbing so may not have a job

Riptide Being open with each other..
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Hey I'm just looking for some advice. I've been dating this guy for a couple months, he struggles with depression and feelings of low self worth. I can understand where he is coming from as I also experience similar problems. Just two issues I've not... View more

Hey I'm just looking for some advice. I've been dating this guy for a couple months, he struggles with depression and feelings of low self worth. I can understand where he is coming from as I also experience similar problems. Just two issues I've noticed lately. He usually shares how he feels and talks to me about where his head is at but recently he has started saying that it doesn't matter and just closing up. I let him know I am here for him and that it does matter but it doesn't help. I'm not sure if he's started doing this because of other reasons or because I usually close up when talking about my thoughts and feelings.. I've always had trouble opening up and sharing my thoughts and feelings about things with people and I am still having that trouble with him. Not as much though, I think I'm more open with him than anyone else in my life but I'm still not open enough. Part of it is that I don't want to put my problems onto him as he already has so much going on. And the other part is.. I don't really know? I know I need to be more open and I want to be but I just can't seem to let myself? I want us to work out and I think my inability to be open is just going to ruin things. I can see that he's getting more and more frustrated when I just close up and push him away. I can understand why he feels that way but I'm just struggling to let him in. I guess I'm just looking for advice on supporting him more? And advice for myself - how can I become more open?

Indelibleredemption BF is going through depression and has completely cut me out.
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First time poster, long time reader. I have been with my bf for 7 months, we met and fell hard and fast and things were amazing for 6 months. He had mentioned his past battles with depression, and I have seen his anxiety attacks happen through out ou... View more

First time poster, long time reader. I have been with my bf for 7 months, we met and fell hard and fast and things were amazing for 6 months. He had mentioned his past battles with depression, and I have seen his anxiety attacks happen through out our relationship, but i was always able to help him and he wanted me around at those times. This is different now. It's been about 4 weeks of our relationship not being okay, and now that I look back, I feel so horrible for taking it so personally and being so selfish thinking that he was pulling away on purpose and didn't care about me anymore and I forced us to have conversations that may have resulted in what is happening now. He has now said he needs space and that he doesn't want me contacting him. I'm worried. He said he hasn't left his house all week and doesn't want to talk to anybody. So I've been trying to just get 1 response a day from him so I know he's okay. But I'm struggling with keeping my cool and finding the balance between being there for him and giving him space. Will he come back to me if I stop messaging or calling ? We haven't had one conversation since.

ChadC2018 I feel like I have made a huge Mistake
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I'll try to keep this short. I have been friends with a girl for 8 years now. And I've started to develop feelings for her in the last 2 years. Now only just recently has she started to ignore me, or message me back. And I realised it was because I w... View more

I'll try to keep this short. I have been friends with a girl for 8 years now. And I've started to develop feelings for her in the last 2 years. Now only just recently has she started to ignore me, or message me back. And I realised it was because I was a bit much for her. Which I do totally understand. So I tried giving her space for a month or two. I asked her if it would be okay if I talk to her after uni exams. She did say yes. Now I'm pretty sure that after that point I screwed up heaps. She did manage to get angry at me. Tried being nice as possible though saying I should have given her space. But the problem was my grudge for her not talking to me for months kicked in, and I got a bit mad about that. The next day what made me very upset was a forum that she admin's. I was told to slow down on my positing overwise I would be blocked. I was pretty offended with that. That was when I un-friended her, and Blocked her on facebook. I have since then apologised twice for that. Now when she blocked me on instagram I did get hurt. Because she was a really good friend to me, and I felt very rejected. So I can understand where she was coming from. I made the mistake of saying "Goodbye" to her on facebook. "I said it was probably for the best", and if she didn't want me to be in her life i was okay with that. Trying to sound nice. I still feel like I hurt her feelings big time. Ever since then I'm regretting what I said to her every day, and It is affecting me at work as well, as my boss can see it. I really don't know what to do at this point. I feel like I want to send her a letter to apologise but I think that would make things even worse. Or say How I really feel, and how this is affecting me right now. Personally I really wish we just talked about it. As I feel like both of us have issues with each other. Personally I feel like she does not have feelings for me. Which I'm okay with but I'm pretty upset that a good friendship was ruined over me being this stupid. Do you think distance away completely will help settle this????

Anne74 Feeling very confused by boyfriends behaviour
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In the last couple of months i have started to feel like i dont want to be with my bf of 41/2 yrs anymore due to his behaviours. I feel constantly under scrutiny and like i cant do anything right, he gets angry at the smallest of things and then wont... View more

In the last couple of months i have started to feel like i dont want to be with my bf of 41/2 yrs anymore due to his behaviours. I feel constantly under scrutiny and like i cant do anything right, he gets angry at the smallest of things and then wont talk to me for days cos he is angry and ignores my attempts to talk to him during this time, he doesnt seem to appreciate the effort i put into the relationship or when i do something new he says things like "what took you so long to do that", he often cuts me off when im trying to talk and shuts me down saying things like "if you dont shut up you know where the door is" and im not yelling or being crazy just trying to talk about something weve had an argument over, he gets angry if i take a long time to get back to him if i miss a call or text but meanwhile he only answers me when he wants to, and i also feel like he is not interested in what i do on a daily basis showing little interest or asking me what ive been doing all day with a smart tone. I have depression and anxiety and most of my days are filled with just trying to get by and constantly fighting my negative thoughts. Im exhausted and dont need to be treated like a second class person. I just dont know what to do can someone give me some guidance??

Mlitzah Parental alienation
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I don’t know how I got here. I bought 4 children up by myself. Their father had little to do with them. I battled on for decades. These children of mine are all grown up. One son abused me 10 years ago and I have had nothing to do with him. Another s... View more

I don’t know how I got here. I bought 4 children up by myself. Their father had little to do with them. I battled on for decades. These children of mine are all grown up. One son abused me 10 years ago and I have had nothing to do with him. Another son sent me a text 3 years ago stating he knew all about me (from a conversation with a younger sister who I had told not to rely on me to support her anymore) and wanted nothing further to do with me. A younger daughter who I have just spent the last 5 years launching on to the world, is married and has 2 children, now , this year wants nothing further to do with me. And now spends a lot of time with her brothers. Another daughter, who just this week tells me to leave this married daughter alone. So I sit here, ashamed, that my relationships with my children have deteriorated so badly. I cant do anything about it. I find calling, texting or emailing, embarrassing. I know the dynamics of others around them had contributed to this estrangement. Some family members and friends are aware of this alienation I have with my four children. I think it’s beginning to affect my mental health. I wonder what was the point of me working so hard over the last 35 years in raising them. One thing I have recognised was when they were little, and had returned from a weekend with their father they would take their anger out on me for several days. It is something I put up with for years. My children using me as a battering ramp to their disenchantment with the world. And this continues in their adulthood. I’m now getting too old to cope. And my children could care less ....

Shattered_Lady Husband of 21 yrs left me 5 days ago.
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I am absolutely shattered. My husband and I have been married for 21 yrs, together 28 yrs. we met when I was 17. Five days ago he revealed over breakfast that he doesn't love me anymore and just loves me as a friend. He wants to feel that butterfly l... View more

I am absolutely shattered. My husband and I have been married for 21 yrs, together 28 yrs. we met when I was 17. Five days ago he revealed over breakfast that he doesn't love me anymore and just loves me as a friend. He wants to feel that butterfly love in his chest and he doesn't get that with me anymore. We were a couple that did everything together caravaning, shooting, camping, shopping, bush walking etc etc. We very rarely argued and a few days prior he was sending me loving texts (which he often did) I am in complete shock as I had no inkling at all this was to happen. Everybody I tell are totally shocked and say you are the last couple I thought this would happen to. I can't eat, I can't sleep. I cry constantly as I thought we would grow old together. We had loads of plans for the future set in place, by him. So I am totally blown away. I have no job, as he said 5 months back I could throw my job in of 16 years and have a break for a bit. I have moved in with my parents as he is still living our house. I have moved my horses, given away all my chickens and reptiles. He has lost nothing. I can't see light at the end of the tunnel. Any tips on how to cope with loosing my best friend as ever time I think of my future it totally freaks me out big time.

Infinity1199 Missing that rush...
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Hi guys, I know it's not really an important issue compared to you guys. my heart goes out to all of you and hope you find true happiness soon. I've been diagnosed with Severe Depression and Anxiety/stress issues so I'm probably not always fun to be ... View more

Hi guys, I know it's not really an important issue compared to you guys. my heart goes out to all of you and hope you find true happiness soon. I've been diagnosed with Severe Depression and Anxiety/stress issues so I'm probably not always fun to be around...but I've been trying to get better which means I've been getting back into my social life. I've been a lot more open and happy with my family and friends, I'm honestly proud to say I managed to repair relationships I though would be lost to me forever. but there's a problem and it's called my dating life. By the way guys I'm gay, so it's one of those stories I thought I did ok, I had a few dates and 2 relationships since I came out. but since my diagnosis I've lost that confidence in myself. you know what I'm talking about, that confidence that inspires you to take charge, feel confident when your with someone and actually connect with someone who gets you. Well for the past few months I just haven't felt that. My dates have kind of sucked. I've tried to make an effort but I just can't click with people. I don't know what I'm during wrong to be honest. But no matter what I do, sitting in the corner is those 2 evil demons called Depression and Loneliness. they are constantly lurking in the shadows, making me doubt everything about myself and cackling their evil little laugh... I need your advice... what did you guys do to feel confident again?

JesseLou Sexless Relationship is causing me Anxiety
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Thanks anyone for reading my thread. My Partner was diagnosed with depression about 1.5 years into our relationship, he blames me for it but his past relationships & his family history were all very traumatic. We have been together just over 3 years ... View more

Thanks anyone for reading my thread. My Partner was diagnosed with depression about 1.5 years into our relationship, he blames me for it but his past relationships & his family history were all very traumatic. We have been together just over 3 years now & I havent met 1 family member, (he says they fell out years ago) I havent met 1 friend in the time we have been together, which I have felt is unusual & also means he has no support except me.. at first we had good sex fairly regularly, within 1 year he was making excuses, too tired, too full (food) too overweight or just about anything to avoid it.. Then we bought a house last Jan & since then we have had sex once.. I have caught him talking to other women 6-7 times on dating Apps & when I asked why he did this, he said these women say nice things to him (& he is not particularly remorseful) we have always shared nice texts, & spoiling each other with gifts & lovely notes etc.. I thought apart from the sex issue that we were doing ok ? He is on a very high dose of anti depressants & I thought that may be why his libido was low but if that was the case why would you talk to other women.. he was cheated on in his last relationship & always hated cheating people so I can not even understand that he would do it to me?!! He has been seeing a therapist & now a new sex therapist but so far nothing has helped us. Why am I writing this? I'm starting to really suffer from no sex.. like I wake up sad about it & I have asked him to just touch me if thats all we can manage but has no interest in that either? He goes to work at 5am & gets home at 6.30pm everyday & is exhausted but he has been bankrupt in his life & now isnt & is scared to earn less so will not cut back his hours... im so scared we will split up as I need to have sex & I want to have it with him but I cant live in a sexless relationship, I love him, what can I do?? We have had relationship counselling, he is now seeing a sex therapist, he says he loves me & is interested but cant do it...? I went to my GP once & started crying about it & she has now put me on low dose anxiety meds He gets angry if we talk about it.. Help???

Scot_Girl_In_Aus I need help finding a way to communicate with my partner
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I'm new to this and have never used a site like this but here we go. I have recently moved from Scotland to Aus to be closer to my partner. All in all I would say we have a very good relationship, very loving and very easy but we are living with his ... View more

I'm new to this and have never used a site like this but here we go. I have recently moved from Scotland to Aus to be closer to my partner. All in all I would say we have a very good relationship, very loving and very easy but we are living with his family and it is a very stressful household to live in. On top of this I have suffered from depression and anxiety for many years and was put on anti-depressants at the start of last year but would only take them for short periods. I haven't taken my meds for around a year but recently I have been feeling increasingly down and more anxious. My negative thoughts have been increasing and my self image is very low at the moment, which makes me question why my partner would love me and if he really does. When I try to talk to him about how i'm feeling I just start to break down which doesn't help anything, stopping me from articulating and saying what I need to. I also get very upset and anxious whenever he leaves for work and his hours have also increased recently when I feel I need him at home more than ever. I feel guilty for getting sad before he goes knowing he'll stress about it at work. I'm really struggling to communicate how I'm feeling as whenever I cry or get upset it scare and worries him. He knew before I moved that I can get like this but has never seen it so he is unsure how to help me. I don't like him seeing me like this and I feel like I'm just causing him to have more things to worry about. The only way I was able to tell him that I was beginning to feel like this again was through messaging but I don't feel I can really get everything across by doing this. Living here with almost no support network is very hard and I cant really talk to his family members about how I'm feeling. Any thought or suggestions would be very welcomed.