Immediate support
Immediate support

Relationship and family issues

Anything to do with managing relationships and family, including parenting, separation, loneliness, divorce, family and friendships.

Start a discussion

FAQ

Find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the Forums.

View the FAQ

Forums guidelines

Our guidelines keep the Forums a safe place for people to share and learn information.

View the guidelines
Jump to
Start a discussion

Pinned discussions

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.

All discussions

Start a discussion

Elizabeth Louise Feeling so lonely
  • replies: 4

Hi Everyone, Been separated from my husband of 16 Yeats for 6 months now. He left me, we both share the children 50/50.I miss him, we talk regularly, interactions are more positive now, I realy want to save my marriage but I'm afraid that he is too s... View more

Hi Everyone, Been separated from my husband of 16 Yeats for 6 months now. He left me, we both share the children 50/50.I miss him, we talk regularly, interactions are more positive now, I realy want to save my marriage but I'm afraid that he is too scared to try again. His main reason for separating was high conflict. I think it was just stress and he burnt out with so many changes in life that we were dealing with. I really believe things would be different if we try again. I feel so alone in the world, my friends & family are all so busy and I feel like I don't fit in with my family anymore. I keep trying to make plans with people on the weekends when I don't have the kids but i keep getting rejected I try to keep busy with work, and I try to do activities that I enjoy but I still feel so alone. I enjoy talking to him on the phone and having that connection/companionship. I don't have that with anyone else. He has a close friend that he speaks with daily. I don't really have anyone like that other than him. It's not the same with my family. I miss my husband so much. Therapists have told me that I need to move on and let him go. I still have hope that things might change over the next 5-6momths. We co parent without any issues and are working like a team when it comes to the children. I still can't believe he left. I still wake up in shock some days. He's not seeing anyone else and the thought of him seeing someone if we were to Divorce eventually make me terribly sad. I never felt lonely ever in my life until now. I used to want to run away from connecting with people because I was always so stressed. Now I crave for connection. I would really love to hear some good stories where people have reconciled after separation.

N888 Teenage daughter
  • replies: 13

Does anyone feel like their 20 year old daughter hates them? Or like walking on egg shells around her. What every i say, she twists it around to make out that ive said something wrong and turns into an arguement. Does anyone have any advice please...... View more

Does anyone feel like their 20 year old daughter hates them? Or like walking on egg shells around her. What every i say, she twists it around to make out that ive said something wrong and turns into an arguement. Does anyone have any advice please....

N888 Teenage daughter
  • replies: 29

My relationship is not good with my 20 year daughter and she is rebelling against us. I need advice please.

My relationship is not good with my 20 year daughter and she is rebelling against us. I need advice please.

R.Penn Housemate/ relationship issues
  • replies: 1

Hello again BB community… I wanted to see if anyone would like to chat about stuff… I am having a hard time on my own tonight. My boyfriend of 2 years had another fight with our housemate who is 10 years my senior. I am 33. I don’t have any friends i... View more

Hello again BB community… I wanted to see if anyone would like to chat about stuff… I am having a hard time on my own tonight. My boyfriend of 2 years had another fight with our housemate who is 10 years my senior. I am 33. I don’t have any friends in this city and am unemployed and in the middle of a mental health assessment for possible ASD/not sure what else. My Boyfriend also has been diagnosed ASD. We are very kind and amiable people but my boyfriend gets really overwhelmed with visitors staying over and our housemate doesn’t care about his needs. Anyway long story short my bf blew up at housemate over text message about his friend leering into my room while I was in there one day on my own which made me feel uncomfortable. I don’t feel very safe living here and we both just want to feel comfortable as we pay the majority of the rent. The house is currently feeling like in lockdown everyone is not talking and I have tried to schedule a meeting but the two won’t talk. Not sure what to do… I would like some advice… as I feel like I am on the verge of being homeless yet again… and jobless… I can’t afford to move just yet but might want to move out on my own again to get healthy space back. Can anyone relate? Sharehousing can be such madness but it really comes down to trust and communication, kindness and respect… our housemate doesn’t give a shit about us and makes it clear to us as well. i just cant remember the last time I felt at “home” somewhere.

Chihiro sister-in-law problems
  • replies: 2

I've been married for just over two years now and I am having issues with my husbands sister. I've been with my partner 10 years in total and when I first met his sister she was so nice to me, we'd spend so much time together we were super close. The... View more

I've been married for just over two years now and I am having issues with my husbands sister. I've been with my partner 10 years in total and when I first met his sister she was so nice to me, we'd spend so much time together we were super close. Then one day when my now husband proposed to me and we got engaged that all changed. His sister became quite distant and she started treating me differently. She doesn't want to communicate with me as much, bother to ask how I am doing, she always seems disinterested in me, I feel like we are enemy's sometimes. At our engagement party she never even spoke to me and left the party early - didn't want to celebrate. The same happened at my hens party when she arrived she didn't even speak to me at all and all she wanted to do was go to my husbands bachelor party to see what he was up to. There are a lot more examples than this just to name a few... When my husband lived at home with his sister, his sister would constantly text him all the time (even when he was on holiday with me), buy lunches/dinners for him, organise his birthday, holidays for them, and I feel like since I got married to her brother maybe his sister feels as if i'm taking her brother away from her. This situation is making it so awkward and upsetting for me. What really hurts the most is that I used to be so close with his sister and now its like we were never friends. How can I improve my relationship with sister?

Charliegrace92 Recently found out partner of 12 years cheated on me
  • replies: 0

I found out from the girl he cheated on me with. Apparently it was on and off for 2 years. He broke up with me but we got back together almost straight away and he kept seeing her. Found out they last slept together as recently as Christmas last year... View more

I found out from the girl he cheated on me with. Apparently it was on and off for 2 years. He broke up with me but we got back together almost straight away and he kept seeing her. Found out they last slept together as recently as Christmas last year and was pnly told this April. Its been almost 2 months since finding out. I still love him but this is the most hurt I've ever been in and I'm struggling to cope. I'm struggling to get past the idea I had of our relationship and the idea i had of him. It seems like I never thought anything like this could ever happen and this all happened at a time I felt most comfortable in our relationship. I have crippling anxiety and I just feel depressed. I thought I was doing alright at one point but i can feel it getting worse. Just after any advice from someone who's experienced anything similar, how they coped after being cheated on with a long time partner they trusted completely.

icecreamspider Angry at my family over a dog :(
  • replies: 3

Hi, i’m not sure which topic this goes under but i need help. backstory: I’ve never been fully comfortable around dogs. I was terrified of them as a kid and i don’t feel like i can really relax around them now. My family, knowing this, have decided t... View more

Hi, i’m not sure which topic this goes under but i need help. backstory: I’ve never been fully comfortable around dogs. I was terrified of them as a kid and i don’t feel like i can really relax around them now. My family, knowing this, have decided to get a dog. I’m scared of not being able to relax in my own home, but my family don’t really seem to care all that much. I know my dad does, he says if it were up to him he wouldn’t get the dog, apparently he turns around and tells everyone else how excited he is, which makes me feel a bit betrayed that he’s lying to me. My mum says she cares. My brother insulted me, i said i felt like i deserved compensation for getting it, all i asked was that they choose a name i’d actually like, my brother called me petty and spiteful for that.big problem :This has happened within the last week, and over this week i’ve been feeling angrier and angrier at my family. It sounds entitled. It probably is. But this is genuinely affecting my mental health. I feel so angry when i see dogs or things relating to dogs and i feel so angry at my family, especially my brother for it. This sounds really childish, i’m sure. But i’m so angry i don’t know what to do. I honestly don’t think i could stand having to live with a dog, I don’t want to be angry at some innocent dog. when my parents said they’d get the dog that first night my mum said she thought the dog would be good for everyone and i asked her “is it really all that good if it’s actively making me feel worse” she said “i guess not” and hasn’t seemed to have thought about it since. i was already doing bad mentally when my parents sprung this on me, and i was getting a bit better but now i’m getting worse. I don’t know how many times i’ve said this but i don’t know what to do. I’m so angry at my family, especially my brother that i want to break things. I want to throw things and trash something, i don’t know how to deal with this anger. I’ve never felt like this.

N888 Teenage daughter
  • replies: 1

What do you do if you find alcohol in your daughters room? Can anyone give me some advice please?She has such an unhealthy lifestyle. Doesnt exercise, drinks sugar drinks, eats unhealthy food. (never at home). Please help......

What do you do if you find alcohol in your daughters room? Can anyone give me some advice please?She has such an unhealthy lifestyle. Doesnt exercise, drinks sugar drinks, eats unhealthy food. (never at home). Please help......

Meg1977 Bad mother
  • replies: 1

I feel like a horrible mother. When I grew up my mother was never emotionally invested in me so when I had children I promised myself to love them unconditionally and do whateva to make them feel good about themselves. I maybe did the last part too m... View more

I feel like a horrible mother. When I grew up my mother was never emotionally invested in me so when I had children I promised myself to love them unconditionally and do whateva to make them feel good about themselves. I maybe did the last part too much because I would always and still do try to fix everything for them from friendship issues to backing them in arguments with their father. My children are 18 and 16 and at times struggle with mental health as I do and I believe I have made these alot worse for them. The three of us are always doom and gloom when upset and go to extremes of depression. A current example is my eldest is struggling to get his license and gets soo down on himself and then I get guilt because I didnt raise my kids right by giving them strategies and coping skills when things dont go right and I struggle cos I cant fix this. I keep telling him to stop crying and itll all be ok but I am in soo much pain watching him suffer. My husband his father just tells us both to suck it up and keep going but I wanna hide and run away.

Mysterious987 Want some feedback please
  • replies: 3

My father in my eyes is a grandiose narcissist, He is highly selfish, He is socially over powering, If something doesn't directly affect him then he doesn't want to know about the problem and it's up to us to solve it. His got misogyn and sexism aspe... View more

My father in my eyes is a grandiose narcissist, He is highly selfish, He is socially over powering, If something doesn't directly affect him then he doesn't want to know about the problem and it's up to us to solve it. His got misogyn and sexism aspects and many years ago in the older generations he committed violent assaults on homosexual men. He once told me I'm disabled when I'm a regular person, He can lower your intelligence and you develop this under confident mute social psychological effects where you lose confidence with communication or hearing yourself speak, and that also is affected by high school bullying I experienced ten years ago from a malignant narcissistic friend . He treats my mother as a stupid un employed useless house maid, He doesn't respect her and he bullies her. He sais my Centrelink pension is a allowance when it's not even given by a immediate family member. He treats anything under appearance wither your fashion or weight or wanting to have a appealing house as you being superficial & vain