Relationship and family issues

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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 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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Milsey Struggling mum
  • replies: 1

Hello, I’m a 25 year old mum of two who is happily married and has two beautiful babies.. or so I say. i am a perfectionist and have ocd tendencies, ( mainly with cleaning and wanting my house to stay perfect)I’m snappy and moody and I get so angry l... View more

Hello, I’m a 25 year old mum of two who is happily married and has two beautiful babies.. or so I say. i am a perfectionist and have ocd tendencies, ( mainly with cleaning and wanting my house to stay perfect)I’m snappy and moody and I get so angry lately. I feel tremendous guilt every night as all I feel like I’m doing is yelling at my kids ( 3.5 and 1.5) what kind of idiot just yells/ screams and cry’s in front of her kids most days. I have a supportive husband but he works so hard that we never have time for each other or if there is time kts something he wants to do. I’m closest to my dad and little sister as my elder sister and mother seem so self absorbed in 4 years I could say I’ve maybe spent time with my mum about 30’ times and that’s just a quick hello she doesn’t have the time of day for my so called drama and not once has been there for me when I’m upset or struggling I get told to get over it I’m dramatic. I don’t have many friends ( I have a lot on my social media but honestly no one makes an effort I’ve had 3 play dates canceled on me and my kids this week and it just sets me into a downward spiral, why do I have no one ? ) I’m too full on with my daughter I’m quick to judge and get angry fast like if she does her picture or spelling wrong ( what is wrong with me who does that) I absolutely hate my appearance and I obsess over it if I feel ugly it ruins my day, my week.. my life. I’m losing control and I just want to run away I can’t keep feeling alone my husband is amazing but even when he suggests something I get frustrated, I get frustrated at his snoring, his eating everything I love him so why do I feel so annoyed by him. I’m impulsive and irrational and I expect too much from my kids. I sleep terribly and drink too much soft drink and coffee as I get so run down. Lately I’ve wanted to run away I don’t want to be like this anymore ..

Lily52 Not coping. Bpd spouse
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First time posting. Feeling at my wits end. I have two young children and a partner with bpd. I myself have GAD and sometimes depression. Along with social anxiety. I'm not coping with my partner, who I've been with for 12 years. On and off. But most... View more

First time posting. Feeling at my wits end. I have two young children and a partner with bpd. I myself have GAD and sometimes depression. Along with social anxiety. I'm not coping with my partner, who I've been with for 12 years. On and off. But mostly on. He has been having alot of "episodes". And I am the target. He can be belittling, verbally abuse, volatile mood swings, demanding and sometimes just says really hurtful things. We have boundaries about his behaviour. But they seem to go out the window during an episode. He always apologises afterwards. And I am aware of his condition and that he doesn't want to be this way. But I'm struggling to keep my own mental health in check. I feel guilty. Like I'm failing my kids, myself and even him. I just feel so small and tired and worthless.

Loca_SHJ Benefits and consequences of short term absconding
  • replies: 13

Hi, I was hoping i could find someone on here with personal experiences in running away from their lives so i can pick their brain in terms of what they gained and lost from the experience. Someone that has for a short period of time driven off from ... View more

Hi, I was hoping i could find someone on here with personal experiences in running away from their lives so i can pick their brain in terms of what they gained and lost from the experience. Someone that has for a short period of time driven off from their life without a holiday/vacation plan but with the primary intention to stop being everything they feel they have to be for the people around them and to just exist for themselves. I have been wanting to do this since I was 15 (perhaps earlier). I'm now a few days from being 24 but I haven't lived a day away from family, friends or other person that put a requirement on me to be a particular way. I have been going through intensive therapy including schema therapy so i'm aware that the reason for this intense and decade long persistance to run away from my life is because of my subjugation schema leaving me feeling choked and controlled by other peoples requirements on me. Through therapy I understand those feelings may not be founded in reality 100% of the time. But i still can't shake the feeling this is something I have to do for myself and that I can't be happy without having experienced it. For the last decade I told myself the reason i didn't go was because i couldn't afford to. I have since been working and have enough money saved up to comfortably be able to leave my life for a few months without financial hardship (I will likely only go a few weeks). I also work casually which means I can leave without being a huge burden on my employer. There has never been and may likes never be a more convenient time to run from my life than now. And yet I am so afraid of the impact this act will have on the same people that make me feel suffocated. I know it will be huge because these people never let me stay overnight anywhere, get angry and disappointed in me if I am more than half an hr late in getting home and rarely ever let me be out after 10pm. I want a chance to stop being a daughter, sister, friend, mother, employee, law grad, legal assistant, student and instead to just be me. I want two weeks in my life where I can exist because I want to and not because all these people need me to do something or be someone specific. I wan't to feel like I own my life for once. But perhaps I am idealising this and in the end it will turn into a horrible disappointment where i shatter my own dream and hurt other people too. I don't know what to do. What did you gained or lost from your experience? Sam

Afraid99 Self sabotage?
  • replies: 3

Hey i am a 30yof. In the past I have had 2 relationships that ended up hurting me very badly. I have seen a psychologist regularly and after about a year of significant depression I have finally started to feel better, which is completely amazing. It... View more

Hey i am a 30yof. In the past I have had 2 relationships that ended up hurting me very badly. I have seen a psychologist regularly and after about a year of significant depression I have finally started to feel better, which is completely amazing. It took a lot of very hard work. But I got here. Recently I met a guy and we have started dating. He has some baggage. But I figure everyone does. He seems very genuine. Very respectful and very honest. He’s been a true gentleman. However my anxiety has been triggered. I feel terrified that it’s going to spiral down and I will get hurt again. And I’m honestly not sure I have it in me to potentially get my heart broken again. I am definitely spending a lot of time over thinking. Playing out every possible scenario but I only ever come to a negative outcome. Every thing in me wants to cut and run. But. Will I spend my whole life running and possibly miss out on something really good. I guess I needed to vent. I need advice. How do people with anxiety cope with this kind of thing?

Duoty How do you stop blaming yourself for a relationship breakdown?
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Im going through a relationship breakdown of 3.5years. Of someone I had planned on proposing to. I know im not perfect and spent the last 2 years making such progress to be a better person for myself and my partner, im the best version of myself than... View more

Im going through a relationship breakdown of 3.5years. Of someone I had planned on proposing to. I know im not perfect and spent the last 2 years making such progress to be a better person for myself and my partner, im the best version of myself than i have ever been. But how can I stop blaming myself and stop thinking the relationship breakdown was my fault.... My head knows it cant just be me. But i cant avoid constantly thinking its all my fault.....

Roshelle Moving interstate and feeling very stressed and sad.
  • replies: 6

About 7 months ago I began thinking about quitting my job as a chartered accountant (for which I had just qualified) and going back to university to study my passion, archeology. I saw a vocational psychologist, did various tests with her, spoke to m... View more

About 7 months ago I began thinking about quitting my job as a chartered accountant (for which I had just qualified) and going back to university to study my passion, archeology. I saw a vocational psychologist, did various tests with her, spoke to my friends and family, spoke with friends who had done the same, went to open days in Sydney and in Canberra and eventually decided to enrol at the ANU in Canberra. I have been OK until now, mostly excited about starting this new life, and also realistic about the possibility of it not working out. This week, I've been I've been feeling sadder and sadder and more and more worried. I found booking a removalist very stressful because it is so expensive and I am just anxious about the moving process. I was overwhelmed when I started packing and it seemed like I couldn't finish in time for tomorrow morning when the removalist will come. I am lucky enough to have some good friends and with their help, I have managed to get most of it done. There are bits and pieces I need to do today, but I should be good to go tomorrow, but I feel like I'm forgetting something and something will go wrong. My other friends are coming over tomorrow morning to drive me to Canberra and help me a bit with unpacking, then driving back. I feel like I've already annoyed them, and I do need someone with me tomorrow. I've booked a cleaner in for Sunday, and then I have to hand my keys in to the real estate agent on Monday and then get a coach back to Canberra as there is an orientation event at uni at 4pm. I'm worried about all of the travel and turning up to uni looking dishevelled. I'm worried about not getting my bond back and having a bad rental history. I just feel very sad and lonely, and I want my friends to be with me but I've had so much help from them already.

ThomasT Feeling betrayed by intimate partner
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HI all, I need to get this off my chest. I've had an emotionally turbulent relationship (FWB) with a woman for the past 18 years. We live separate lives. We both had very stressful professions. Hers in particular was both extremely stressful but fina... View more

HI all, I need to get this off my chest. I've had an emotionally turbulent relationship (FWB) with a woman for the past 18 years. We live separate lives. We both had very stressful professions. Hers in particular was both extremely stressful but financially rewarding. Things between us haven't been great for a long long time. There have been many times where trust has been an issue, communication is terrible. We have gone weeks or even months without talking. Yet when we do talk or see each other we click, Like everything is just perfect. She told me a 4 months ago (Nov 17) she told me she had bought a new property. She wouldn't tell me the address. That was the strangest thing I had ever come across. Who doesn't say where the place is they just bought? Long story short, tonight I discovered that she actually bought the place in 2016. She doesn't know I know. I feel pretty upset and betrayed. It feels like she is about to exit and doesn't want me to know where it is.

Ruby3 Brave face
  • replies: 7

Hi ive posted here before about my situation that occurred over New Years. Althiugh ive done everything expected of me, found a house, a job, lost weight and look physically better I can’t help but still feel like I’m dying inside. A couple of friend... View more

Hi ive posted here before about my situation that occurred over New Years. Althiugh ive done everything expected of me, found a house, a job, lost weight and look physically better I can’t help but still feel like I’m dying inside. A couple of friends have said they no longer want to see me anymore as I’m emotionally draining. It’s really knocked me back again. After everything that’s happened it’s yet more loss. To have lost a husband and friends I’m not just questioning what is wrong with me? Why don’t people stay with me?

james1 I'm sad and stressed and scared
  • replies: 15

Hello, I didn't know where to put this. I'm looking for someone to talk to. Long story short, the title says it really. I'm sad about a relationship break (yet again) and both sad and stressed about leaving my current job and changing career paths fr... View more

Hello, I didn't know where to put this. I'm looking for someone to talk to. Long story short, the title says it really. I'm sad about a relationship break (yet again) and both sad and stressed about leaving my current job and changing career paths from a well paid office job to a zero income work-for-myself career. I can support myself financially, I have been in the job fxor long enough to know that the corporate lifestyle is not for me, and I've been discontent in the job for long enough to know that it's time to go. I have things I can do to occupy my time like my hobby and actually planning out how to quit and change lifestyles, but especially with the break-up, I don't know if I can emotionally manage it all. Staying for longer while I cope with the break up isn't an option. I do not want it and I'm too set on this to stop pushing ahead. I need to leave but its f scary and I'm just mentally exhausted. Not depressed or suicidal, I just don't want to bother doing anything. It's too demoralising, repeatedly.

snappdragon Should we stay friends?
  • replies: 11

I've been friends with someone for about a year now, and while it started off really well, but the longer we know each other, the more problems I'm having with them. Firstly, I've found out my friend has some insecurity issues that never used to affe... View more

I've been friends with someone for about a year now, and while it started off really well, but the longer we know each other, the more problems I'm having with them. Firstly, I've found out my friend has some insecurity issues that never used to affect me but now do. I guess in order to feel valid, they always feel the need to brag or prove how great they are at everything they do. I didn't really mind at first because that's just how they are, and it didn't affect me. But in the past few months they've began to compete with me about things to prove they are "the best at it" and I've started to hate talking to them or telling them things because they make me feel inferior all the time. For example they harass me about how I pronounce words, how they can find better bargains then me, how they're better at games then me, and more. It's like everything is a competition, and if I do happen to be better at something then them, then they make out that that thing apparently sucks and they didn't like it anyway. I tried to tell them gently that it was affecting me, and they apologized, but I don't think it got through. Now it's like they brag and then add "not that I'm saying you're not good too" and it feels like a backhand compliment. They've also been making small remarks about things they don't like about me, as if trying to manipulate me in to changing. They bring up my weight and how I dress a lot, as if they have a problem with it. I tried to confront them on that too, and they said they did think I was pretty and that my weight doesn't bother them. But it's obvious it does. I usually do enjoy talking to them, and used to feel like I could tell them anything. But now it's like, they judge me a lot and compete with me, and I don't feel comfortable around them anymore. I also admit, I'm really lonely, so as bad as it sounds, I'm scared to lose them. And while I want to tell them more bluntly that I don't like what they are doing, I'm scared it'll ruin our friendship. I guess I just wish things went back to how they used to be when we could talk about stuff and they didn't put me down in the process.