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Chris_B PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING: 3 important tips to get the most out of this section
  • replies: 0

Hi everyone, The Relationships & Family Issues section is one of the busiest here on our forums. It's also one of the areas where we find members can get themselves into trouble! Before posting here, take a deep breath and be mindful of the following... View more

Hi everyone, The Relationships & Family Issues section is one of the busiest here on our forums. It's also one of the areas where we find members can get themselves into trouble! Before posting here, take a deep breath and be mindful of the following 3 tips: 1. Do you really want to share this with the world? This is a public forum. Are you thinking of posting something that could identify you to a friend or family member? Once you've posted, you can't delete what you've written and we don't take posts down from here unless they've broken one of our community rules. This is because our members spend a lot of time composing replies, and there is a much wider audience that gets a lot out of reading what has been written. It's not fair to ask the community for support, then ask to have it removed once you've read it so others can't also benefit. Use discretion when posting here - think about the level of detail you are sharing, and think also about who might know you are posting here. Also, please keep it clean: this is an all ages forum and explicit discussions about sexual problems are not permitted. Threads and posts of this nature will be removed and your account placed on a moderation hold. 2. What do you want to get out of posting here? Relationship and family issues are stressful. Members sometimes post here seeking advice about a relationship that has broken down, but find themselves getting upset when they don't agree with the response they get. This is a peer support forum, meaning we are not mental health professionals. We are people of all ages and backgrounds, with a wide range of life experiences. While we aim for our discussions to be conducted respectfully, people here will respond with the truth as they see it, from their own experiences and perspectives. We are not here to take sides. Offence is almost never intentional, but it can be sometimes taken. The advice you will see here is not intended to be a substitute for professional counselling. 3. What other support do you have? Most people posting on our forums (about any issue) use this space as a supplement to other supports. This forum is not and cannot be a substitute for offline supports, but it is often a good place to start the ball rolling and find the courage for seeking help. If you are relying solely on an internet forum to resolve your relationship or family issues, you are likely to be disappointed. Check out the Healthy Homes section of our Healthy Families website for further information and resources.

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Terri_Dactal Mother In Law causing problems
  • replies: 2

My Mother In Law was someone I really loved. I came from a rough home and when I was kicked out before marrying my husband, she took me in. She tried to make me feel comfortable and loved despite barely knowing me. However I soon noticed her severe a... View more

My Mother In Law was someone I really loved. I came from a rough home and when I was kicked out before marrying my husband, she took me in. She tried to make me feel comfortable and loved despite barely knowing me. However I soon noticed her severe alcoholism and destructive behaviour my husband warned me about. She would drink 3-6 bottles of wine 4-6 nights a week. She would draw on walls and herself before having a screaming match with her female best friend that she's lived with since divorcing her abusive husband 15 years ago. Honestly I was stupid and excused a lot of behaviour because I was desperate for love and was never taught anything but dysfunction and abuse so I settled into this new cycle. She would have my crying having panic attacks at 2am in the morning when she went on a rampage around the house drunk. A year after moving in I married her son and not long after fell pregnant. I felt myself relapsing into depression again and when considering professional help she discouraged me saying "you're going to make mistakes anyway, you can't stop it" and claimed my self harm in the past was only superficial. I told her these things in confidence as a mother figure and when it suited she threw them back at me. Ive now been doing intense weekly psychotherapy for almost a year and long story short I now see why I can't allow to live without boundaries any longer, for the sake of my son (now 1) and family I started to make hose changes. I asked politely for them not to drink any alcohol when my son sleeps over. The response was that I was being silly and my MIL claimed she would never ask someone she trusts not to drink. This is not an unusual response as I understand she is an alcoholic. She has always done things I'm uncomfortable with, like posting photos on social media of my son without asking and calling him her baby, flat out lying and never acknowledging disrespecting our parenting, pretending things she said never happened, sending me abusive text messages when she's very drunk and so on. I used to to live in fear because I needed her approval but now I understand I am safe with my husband and family. Now I'm concerned about setting boundaries but he second I started (kindly and diplomatically), I was thrown into a hurricane of silent treatment, intimidation and abuse. Im now pregnant again and am seriously considering cutting her off. Hubby has never liked his Mum. I'm so stressed! My kids don't need these values do they?

anon90 i dont know what to do anymore
  • replies: 2

I'm a young father of 2 soon to be 3 but my wife and i are having problems, i love her so much but she thinks I'm cheating on her, Saturday just past had she went to send her mother a message on fb as she was doing so she seen someone in the contacts... View more

I'm a young father of 2 soon to be 3 but my wife and i are having problems, i love her so much but she thinks I'm cheating on her, Saturday just past had she went to send her mother a message on fb as she was doing so she seen someone in the contacts and started saying that she was my gf and that i was cheating, i don't even know this person and when i clicked on it there was no messages, i tried saying that i don't know her and everything but she wont listen keep saying that they wouldn't have just come up, I'm really stuck as to what to do, clearly she doesn't trust me but i really don't know what to do or say or even how to say it (i have problems in communicating like when i say stuff it comes out completely different to how i mean) , i love her so much but shes just pushing me away, this isn't the only time its happened and it seems she finds something to fight about every weekend, to make things worse Sunday night i called my best friend to catch up and talk, i wanted to go his or out but he seemed more concerned for my wife and we ended up just staying at mine but when he 1st got there he walked past me and then into the hose and spoke to my wife, now i feel like i cant and don't want to talk to him but i have no one else. i went to work today but i just spent most the time in tears so i left. we have texted a few times today but that just seems to make everything worse now she thinks i don't want to be with her. please help

Rebecca6 has anyone lost a loved one to MND
  • replies: 7

Hi my name is Rebecca I'm 23 years old when I was 14 years old I lost my dad to motor neurone disease. I was devasted my life came crashing down around me before I got a chance to start it. Due to me being young and naive i always thought there would... View more

Hi my name is Rebecca I'm 23 years old when I was 14 years old I lost my dad to motor neurone disease. I was devasted my life came crashing down around me before I got a chance to start it. Due to me being young and naive i always thought there would be a light at the end of the tunnel that I will be able to get through this and move on but now I'm 23 and realise that it's not the case. That I will live with this pain for the rest of my life. But I'm finding it harder now. Sadly last year I lost my dad's sister my aunty to the same disease and 2 and a half weeks later my grandmother to cancer. This time i was more prepared and thought I could do this I'll be fine. But the thing is I'm not. I'm finding it hard to balance my grief and life. Like how do I continue to live my life and not let my grief get in the way of it. I have an amazing partner who I love and want to share my life with. But atm I'm trying to go through the testing process to see if I may have or pass on the mnd gene to my children. I just feel like in my short 23 years of my life I have had a lot thrown my way and just need to figure out a way to balance it all and grieve but at the same time live my life to the fullest. I have amazing friends and family but Its hard to talk to someone when they don't understand. It would be great to find people who have gone through the same or a similar experience and be able to talk and relate.

shattered__to_pieces heartbroken and lonely
  • replies: 3

Hi..so im not sure how to start...all i can say is im struggling really bad with anxiety and depression..in the last 5 wks alot of my life fell apart..the man i was totally inlove with and with for 6yrs left me for another woman and moved straight in... View more

Hi..so im not sure how to start...all i can say is im struggling really bad with anxiety and depression..in the last 5 wks alot of my life fell apart..the man i was totally inlove with and with for 6yrs left me for another woman and moved straight in with her had been 'cheating for i dont know how long' how do i get through this help pls. There is so much more to it all but i dont know if i put it all in 1 post or if i just gradually let it all out as im talking to people...i have put doing this off coz i though i was coping but im not..i also have 2 beautiful little girls involved in all this my heart actually really feels like its breaking..my brain doesnt hardly atop thinking about him and her..and im so lonely its unreal

CMF Maintaining civil relationships after being badly hurt
  • replies: 64

I was divorced with 2 kids then met someone who didnt have kids but always wanted them and still lived at home. We had a very slow growing relationship, he didn't want to commit completely for several reasons but said wasn't seeing others.he had a ex... View more

I was divorced with 2 kids then met someone who didnt have kids but always wanted them and still lived at home. We had a very slow growing relationship, he didn't want to commit completely for several reasons but said wasn't seeing others.he had a ex who still called him every week, he said they still caught up as friends and that she slept over still but nothing between them. I definitely didn't want to see others, dating is not my thing. he told me yo start as friends then if things progress you officially commit to each other, you actually say it. our relationship grew, he ever met my kids, didn't think they should be exposed to anything. he was and still is a commitment phobic. I feel like im rambling, talking all over the place - sorry I have so much on my mind. all of a sudden things just fell into place for us, it was just right and we both knew it without having to say anything, then out of the blue he accused me of infidelity. I was knocked for six! I had 2 kids, worked part time and when I wasn;t working was with him. it was ridiculous. he refused to believe me I took a week off work to sort this out he badgered and badgered me, I was not going to walk away from him for something I didn't do, then gave me an ultimatum, give him an admission or we cant move forward. I was so defeated, I couldn't take anymore of his badgering so I made up a story - YES- I gave a FALSE ADMISSION. but I had no story to back it up so I let him make up the story and I just agreed to whatever he said. the reasons I gave were valid i.e the the ex girlfriend always ringing etc( but he then denied ever catching up with her), I could have done it but I didn't. I was prepared to wait for the "official commitment" which never came. Funny thing is in my gut I knew he ws going to do something that would ruin us. we stayted together for another 12 months, neither of us could leave. he accused me the whole time of infidelity, we fought, we yelled, one day I finally walked away I found something o his phone re his ex I couldbt take it anymore and I walked away. we didn't speak for a few days then he rang and we saw each other and bang - I'm pregnant! he wanted the baby but not the relationship - just friends.he accused me the whole pregnancy of seeing someone else- seriously! we have a beautiful girl but I cant forgive him. I found more on the internet re his ex - an rsvp to a party when we were seeing each other. he denies going but cant explain it. so stuck.

Tyron Putting your spouse first.
  • replies: 9

Hi All, This is not something I usually do. I mostly bottle it up but need to get it out and this is my only form, as I have no one to talk to. I have been with my wife for 10 years and we were happy. As of the last few years. She has always put our ... View more

Hi All, This is not something I usually do. I mostly bottle it up but need to get it out and this is my only form, as I have no one to talk to. I have been with my wife for 10 years and we were happy. As of the last few years. She has always put our children and other family members infront of me. I work 6 to 7 days a week and don t ask for much at all. She doesn'ttreat me like a man or even a husband. A marriage is a partnership that is constantly being refine, for later years when the kids move out of home, so you can enjoy eachother. Sometimes I have problems expressing my feelings and it turns into an argument, even though thats not what implying. My wife puts everyone before me and this is quite depressing. It has affected my way of looking at life and I start to think, why do I bother with my relationship, only to know that Im at a defalt last. It would be nine to be put first for a change. When I try to talk about my feelings. I told that Im being silly and I need to man up and be a man. The kids are even treating me like this, as they see what my wife is doing. I love my wife and still in love with her. Not sure what to do because I sometimes think why do I bother. I feel that all Im here to do is work, eat, sleep and pay the bills. My wife contributes as much as she can financially, but it would be nice not to work all of the time and for here to get a job to help me out. I know that Im not perfect and I have flaws too. When I try to talk about issues, she shuts me down and will be in denial that she may have issues too. Im thinking of us going to our doctor and discussing about finding a Counselor. Not sure if this is the right thing to do, since we cant discuss this together. I really dont want this of take hold of our marriage. Any advice would be appreciated.

Sunny3 Family therapy
  • replies: 6

My parents want my whole family to go to therapy due to conflicts among us which are not getting resolved. I have agreed to go however I want to take my partner with me as I am very anxious talking to people I don't know and talking about my feelings... View more

My parents want my whole family to go to therapy due to conflicts among us which are not getting resolved. I have agreed to go however I want to take my partner with me as I am very anxious talking to people I don't know and talking about my feelings (In the past for sessions with a psychologist for just me they have attended and it made me feel at ease). My parents have refused to let them come and their only reason was 'we do not have a problem with them' and so they do not need to be there. I have explained the reason why I want them there and asked them if its because it would make them uncomfortable but they said it wasn't and that it is because we are not married yet they are not considered family and therefore cannot come. My parents have also said that they are there to support me, however as the issues are mainly related to me not feeling their support/respect for my feelings I would like my partner to attend). I am an living at home as I am in second year of TAFE and my partner (of 2 years) and I take turns sleeping at each others house so we basically live together. I'm not sure what to do as I really don't want to go without my partner's support but also feel guilty as parents are saying if I don't come without them then i don't want to sort out the problems.

blossom4298 It has all come to an end...
  • replies: 3

A week ago my husband told me that he no longer wanted a relationship with me. He had just come back after being on a job for 8 weeks. We have two beautiful children ages one and four my only concern is for them as I felt that our relationship was he... View more

A week ago my husband told me that he no longer wanted a relationship with me. He had just come back after being on a job for 8 weeks. We have two beautiful children ages one and four my only concern is for them as I felt that our relationship was heading to an end ...didn't think it would actually happen but boy was I wrong. At first he moved into the backroom which we both found really hard so today we both agreed that it would be best if he moved out. So he decided to start straight away and didn't come home till later that night once the kids were asleep to get his clothes etc. I moved out with my husband when we were 18 (now 34) and haven't been on my own since... so now what do I do that I have a house and two kids to look after all by myself. I also have a 10 year struggle with depression, is much better now but obviously with this new venture I am very concern with loosing my shit completely.

jd25 found my daughter
  • replies: 2

20 years ago my girlfriend was heavily pregnant with our daughter, when she left to go back to Victoria we were both young i was 17 she 21, i lost contact with her shortly after my daughter was born, for a long time i have been searching the net for ... View more

20 years ago my girlfriend was heavily pregnant with our daughter, when she left to go back to Victoria we were both young i was 17 she 21, i lost contact with her shortly after my daughter was born, for a long time i have been searching the net for any trace of her to mo avail, a few days ago i found a message on fb from my daughter saying she was looking for her father, the message was sent 4 years ago, I've only just seen it now, i replied but haven't heard back, don't know what to do my heart is broken

Longlost The love of my life has left me
  • replies: 7

Hi, I'm new here and not sure what to expect but I guess nothing can be worse than how I am feeling now. just over 6 weeks ago my partner of 3 and a half years broke up with me. We were waiting to move into the apartment he had bought and it was so s... View more

Hi, I'm new here and not sure what to expect but I guess nothing can be worse than how I am feeling now. just over 6 weeks ago my partner of 3 and a half years broke up with me. We were waiting to move into the apartment he had bought and it was so sudden... He said he isn't happy and he needs to be on his own to sort himself out. He works FIFO and had really started shutting me out. I moved into my own place and am living alone at the moment, I have tried not contacting him, removed him from all social media and deleted his number but we have spoken a few times since it happens, last night being the first time I had seen him in 6 weeks and the last time. He wanted to explain some things to me to help me understand, he still loves me and this was so incredibly hard for him to do but he feels lost, unhappy and wants to be alone while he works his life out. he wants me to be happy and to find someone who can give me everything I need. He said he will always be there if I ever need him and he loves and cares about me so much. He said it would be selfish to say in a year or two who know what would happen because he doesn't want me to hang onto him and to move on and be happy. ive booked an appointment to see a counsellor on Friday but there hasn't been one week since it happened I haven't cried. I've never loved anyone like him and the relationship was never bad so I'm finding it so hard and I don't know what to do.. i was keeping active but the last week I've fallen in a heap.