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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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Emaloneagain Anxiety and abandonment
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone, I hope everyone is hanging in there. My question is this - is anxiety disorder at play if someone has a very hard time being a "rock"? I mean, if when their partners life is tough, they can't cope / support them / be there? My dad was re... View more

Hi everyone, I hope everyone is hanging in there. My question is this - is anxiety disorder at play if someone has a very hard time being a "rock"? I mean, if when their partners life is tough, they can't cope / support them / be there? My dad was recently being tested for cancer, and I was stressed. My partner wasnt prioritising me as much as I hoped, and when he said something in reference to "having to comfort me" I lost it and asked him to leave. He did and I felt awful. I had hoped he'd let me cry and rage a bit, but be there. (I'm always the strong one, he is v sensitive) but he bailed. I know he was hurting and feeling abandoned, but... Anyhow, I called him, explained why I'd lost it, told him I understood he was hurt and displaced, but asked him to put his stress and hurt on the back burner and come back to be there for me while I was facing losing dad. He said no, hung up on me and since then I've only had an email explaining why he was hurt and how keeping his distance is best. I see how it's best for him, but not for me. I just wonder, is this anxiety he needs to work through alone? I Know we can never reconcile, and I know contacting him increases his anxiety (he also struggles with paranoia) but there are practical loose ends to fix and I wonder how he is Should I contact his parents, maybe? thanks for reading / replying x

MisterM A girl told me I creeped her out - feeling depressed about it
  • replies: 59

Hey all, This girl from university that is in two of my classes sent me a stern message on Facebook on Friday telling me that I am creeping her out after I sent her a YouTube link of a video of her suburb via messenger. She told me to not send her an... View more

Hey all, This girl from university that is in two of my classes sent me a stern message on Facebook on Friday telling me that I am creeping her out after I sent her a YouTube link of a video of her suburb via messenger. She told me to not send her any more links. I thought she would find it funny as during classes we've been teasing about her suburb and my suburb. I did not intend to creep her out at all and felt sick reading her message on Friday. I replied apologising and saying I didn't intend it that way. To make things worse I actually asked her out on a date about a month ago and she said she's working so I never followed up. Today was the first time I've seen her since she sent me the message as me and her had to meet up at the library in a private study room to work on our assignment. She seemed okay but after a bit of silence I just apologised again and she said for me not to. We usually sit next to each other at lectures and classes, in the lecture today I sat away from her. After the lecture she left the building first and had a good head start towards the train station to go home. I caught up to her with another friend from uni at a crossing as she was waiting for the green man. My friend ended up turning left and leaving just me and her to walk a block. It was awkward, we chatted a bit about uni but as soon as we got to the train station she just turned to go to a ticket machine without saying bye, then a few mins later she rushed past me down the escalators without looking at me or saying anything. I have been very sad and anxious all weekend and the same now. I feel so devastated as I did not even think of what she accused me of, it was a joke that turned bad for me. It's got me questioning my character and disliking myself. Is it because girls think I am a creep that I have never had a girlfriend? I am also devastated because I was managing my depression/anxiety so well with a change in medication and recently met with my psychiatrist to say the change has worked as I was so happy, even my mum noticed the change and mentioned it to my brother in law. Now it's all come crashing down, I feel hopeless again and guilty.

MisterM Dating with depression - to reveal or not reveal?
  • replies: 2

I just stumbled upon a news article and it is something that has been on my mind for a while.I have no online dating profile but wouldn't know how to go about this.If I keep it secret from any future date and then tell her it's like I've been untruth... View more

I just stumbled upon a news article and it is something that has been on my mind for a while.I have no online dating profile but wouldn't know how to go about this.If I keep it secret from any future date and then tell her it's like I've been untruthful.How do you people go about this? Do you tell your dates your depression history?

Marcsa Passive Aggressive
  • replies: 6

Hi, Not sure if this is the right place for this thread, It came up in conversation during a session with my Pyschologist and I have stumbled across the topic again in my reading about Depression and anxiety. I ask because I wonder if my learned pare... View more

Hi, Not sure if this is the right place for this thread, It came up in conversation during a session with my Pyschologist and I have stumbled across the topic again in my reading about Depression and anxiety. I ask because I wonder if my learned parenting skills have a component of Passive aggressiveness and so I am doing the same kind of behaviour. Thoughts ?

Phoenix2222 The disappearing man
  • replies: 2

Now that I am almost 60 life has lost meaning for me. It has been coming on for years and now here it is. Some years back my wife had a year long affair with a younger executive type work colleague - she was 45 then and he was a bit younger. Like us ... View more

Now that I am almost 60 life has lost meaning for me. It has been coming on for years and now here it is. Some years back my wife had a year long affair with a younger executive type work colleague - she was 45 then and he was a bit younger. Like us he was married with children. I decided to stay for the kids and because of the huge amount still owing to the bank. This horrible experience brought much insight and self examination - a hell of a lot of reading and some counseling. I learned that I had been depressed and anxious since I was a young teen. Back then I didn't question my high and low days - stiff upper lip, carry on. But this state was at the core of all my relationship failures and contributed to the affair. I had became overweight and resentful of her. Sex became a rare thing. It didn't help that I had taken on the role of Mr Mum and only worked part time. We grew apart and ultimately she took the bait. I did pull my weight though - housework, meals etc. I take that seriously. To top it of I spent the best part of 6 months getting our home up to scratch before it went on the market. We moved into our new home and a month later I discovered, by accident, what she had been up to. It was shattering. So here we are 5 yrs later and all the promises from early on about re-building and re-bonding etc. have come to nought. The fights are over, sex is a distant memory. Now I exist here with my beaut kids and this other person who is some type of 'companion'. Even though I now have 30 hrs of work each week I simply cannot afford to move and both kids are well established in High School and in this neighborhood. All of this has sent me into a spiral and I have been on anti depressants for 18 months. I just seem to drift through work and home/family life. Often I think about checking out. I cannot seem to connect with other women - clearly I come across as a bit desperate IMO, or my personality gives of an awkward vibe. I'm not sure. Obviously I have lost confidence but age is also a factor. I get on OK with men, mostly via sport etc but I'm much more comfortable with the females - it's just that no one is looking for a nearly 60 yr old and I don't feel like I fully have the energy anyway if something did happen. I guess the fact that I need to be around a woman who needs me might be an issue (dependency?) Anyway - I'm caught in this daily revolving door; just not enjoying life but with many family and financial responsibilities. Thank you

Marcsa Unable to break Adoption ceiling
  • replies: 7

Hi all, I'm over the age of 50 and discovered not quite 10yrs ago that I was Adopted. Nobody 'gets' it. Nobody understands the rejection, the lies, the false sense of self, identity issues, etc etc. I'm pretty disappointed and frustrated. I know a bi... View more

Hi all, I'm over the age of 50 and discovered not quite 10yrs ago that I was Adopted. Nobody 'gets' it. Nobody understands the rejection, the lies, the false sense of self, identity issues, etc etc. I'm pretty disappointed and frustrated. I know a bit about the subject , if anyone's interested.

Melbourne_girl Change happening in lots of areas and feeling isolated
  • replies: 8

Hello. I have recently moved interstate with my husband and children to live in his hometown where his family live. They are very different to my family especially my parents in law. If it weren't for my SIL I would be completely lost. But still her ... View more

Hello. I have recently moved interstate with my husband and children to live in his hometown where his family live. They are very different to my family especially my parents in law. If it weren't for my SIL I would be completely lost. But still her views and their views are very different. I have moved away from my parents, of which were my everything, my biggest support and my kids soft place. I have left oldest dearest friends, work friends my brothers and their families and a home town which I loved. Friends here are few. My new jobs are stressful and I'm taking a long time to understand the systems. I feel lonely at school pick ups. It is extremely hard to make new friends at 41yrs old and I actually don't want to. But I feel so lonely and out of place. Nothing is familiar to me anymore. My husband lacks empathy of the stress and how lonely I feel by moving interstate new job new house losing family / friends, despite him living in my hometown for many years and being in that same position. My kids miss grandma and poppy immensely. They have so much more compassion and interest in the kids lives compared to my in laws. I can I feel whole again and stop feeling so sad?

Ardenrose Confused, hurt and broken
  • replies: 2

Hi y'all.hope everyone is well. I have decided to post here because I have been feeling low and frustrated lately. Particularly because of my relationship with my partner.i have been living with my boyfriend for almost 6months now. I moved out of hom... View more

Hi y'all.hope everyone is well. I have decided to post here because I have been feeling low and frustrated lately. Particularly because of my relationship with my partner.i have been living with my boyfriend for almost 6months now. I moved out of home because of family issue and ever since then i have been living independently.my boyfriend has been very supportive to me ever since things in my life had fallen into wrong places and Im very grateful for that. I love him and i know deep down he loves me too. When things arent bad, we really have a good connection and the love is always there.however, not to mention every time we fight, in which i would say MOST OF THE TIME, he physically and verbally abuse me. I wont go in so much detail but it has gotten far and now I feel so drained and depressed. Broken and hurt..yesterday we had a huge fight, I was just there crying hysterically and as I was crying so hard it got him more angry and violent.we live in a unit so i am 100% sure that our neighbours could hear us. I remember yesterday before he physically hurt me and kept yelling horrible things at me.i couldnt control myself.. Towards the end, he apologised and said he wont do it again.. But the thing is he has been saying it for the past few months....now im just so scared of him.. I was diagnosed with depression and been seeing my therapist however it feels like its not even working. Im not in any medication too. -Now im on my way to work, and I feel shit and drained from what happened yesterday. My body feels so weak, i just want to break down. I want to tell someone what happened but im scared.. I really am.. At the same time i do love him and dont want to ruin what we have.there has been times as well that the police came and stuff but those times when they asked me if my boyfriend hurt me at any way, i never told them the truth...Please, please i need some advice. Im on the train right now and i will have a long shift today and i just want to break down ;( HELP ME PLEASE. my anxiety is building up. It terrifies me ;((( -Arden

Seriously_Scarred Not coping with interstate move
  • replies: 2

Hi I have suffered from Depression & Anxiety for over 20 years. Last year my husband was made redundant due to the down turn in the coal mining industry. He found it hard to find work in our area in his trade so we looked online for work interstate a... View more

Hi I have suffered from Depression & Anxiety for over 20 years. Last year my husband was made redundant due to the down turn in the coal mining industry. He found it hard to find work in our area in his trade so we looked online for work interstate and there was alot. Long story but I moved 1000klms away 6 weeks ago.. Im a carer for my 15 year old son whom has severe anxiety and has stopped going to school or leaving the house for social outings due to this. My eldest son (23) chose to stay where he was and my daughter(21) is coming down to live with us this weekend. My husband found a great job and he moved down last Feb to start the job leaving me and my daughter to pack up the house which was stressful. I recently came across a conversation on my husbands phone between him and a women who apparently lives in another country. He has been playing this online game for well over a year which has taken up alot of his time but she was playing this game as well and she had sent pictures (not naked) of herself to him and messages with love hearts and they were calling each other sweetie and darl and things like Ive missed talking to you cutie. I approached him and showed him what Id found and he said it was all harmless and there was no emotional connection between them. I feel like Ive been cheated on and he said that he knows that it doesnt look good but he meant nothing by it. I feel I felt sick reading those messages. In the 19 years we have been together I have never felt he would cheat on me as we have a wonderful marriage...he is my best friend. He told me he has deleted the game but I found it hidden in a folder on his Ipad a week later . I found some other messages from him to her saying he missed her chats and he was calling her babe and cutie pie and all that. We had another fight and he said he would stop playing all games but He has started playing another game now and he says it is his relaxation time. I know no one here, Ive left my son and elderly father behind as well as all my relatives and friends, my husband works 12 hour days and comes home and plays his game much to my disgust and goes to bed. Im trying to deal with my son who hates getting out of bed and Im trying to get him to school. Im Just not coping and feel betrayed and alone. My self esteem is zero, Im overweight. I dont know how to get out of this hole and just want to run. Im sorry to whinge but even if no one replys, I feel better getting that off my chest.

LonelyDad How bad can things get?
  • replies: 26

Hi guys, I'm new here so this is my first time doing this. I don't know what to do. I had a nervous breakdown 2 years ago and accused my wife of having an affair. I knew I had depression and extremely bad anxiety so I saw a dr and got counciling and ... View more

Hi guys, I'm new here so this is my first time doing this. I don't know what to do. I had a nervous breakdown 2 years ago and accused my wife of having an affair. I knew I had depression and extremely bad anxiety so I saw a dr and got counciling and meds etc... Over the course of the next 6 months I would accuse my wife of her affair after finding things that would point in that direction and she told me I was crazy and had something wrong with me, and made me go to a psychologist. Deep down I knew she was having an affair but I was too scared of losing my family to do anything about it. So 12 months after my initial breakdown I came off my anti depressants, and felt like things were on track. Then in September last year my wife admitted to me about her affair. Things got very tough again but I believed her apologies and thought we could get past it. It's been up and down since then but I thought we were making progress until a few months ago when she started acting different - angry at me all the time, showing no interest in me. I kept doing everything I could to make her happy and be a good husband but she gradually got worse. Now last Friday I had a few beers and finally asked her why she was acting like that to which she replied that she was miserable and wasn't sure what she wanted anymore. I've been told by another person that she's been talking about it for months. I work away from home so my anxiety levels are ridiculous and I have nobody to talk to. I miss my kids and I don't want to lose them or the life Ive built. She won't talk to me about it so I'm left here by myself with my thoughts about the probability of being without everything I love and live for. I think she has depression but she won't accept that and just says she's exhausted. I want to be there to help her but she doesn't want me. What do I do????