Relationship and family issues

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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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DrLukey I can’t stop my emotional outbursts towards my partner. I need help.
  • replies: 6

I am posting this in desperation. Every few days, I have these emotion outbursts towards my partner. The cycle starts with me, after having had the previous emotional outburst, feeling very shameful and remorseful, and believing to my core that it wi... View more

I am posting this in desperation. Every few days, I have these emotion outbursts towards my partner. The cycle starts with me, after having had the previous emotional outburst, feeling very shameful and remorseful, and believing to my core that it will never happen again. I devise strategies to ensure it never happens again. Yet, something might happen where either my partner will not answer my text messages quickly, or I wont hear from her for half a day, or I discover she has gone out to brunch with a male friend, or something else that triggers these feelings of insecurity in me then leads me to have this overwhelming feeling that she might be cheating on me behind my back, or ready to break up with me. Once these feeling take hold, my mind cannot get away from them and I end up asking her things like ‘Are you developing feeling for your friend?’ Or ‘Are you ignoring me?’. My partner doesn’t like when I ask these questions, and she might either ignore them or tell me she doesn’t want to engage in them, and this triggers me to have an outburst over text, where I might threaten to leave her, or say nasty things to her, or I might try calling her incessantly. It is emotionally abusive on my part, and I am desperate to stop this behaviour, but for whatever reason I have been unable to stop. I have seen a psychologist, and tried many things, but I just feel this overwhelming feeling of anxiety when I am insecure, and it is almost like I become a different person, and I believe all the conspiracy theories in my head as to what might be going on. When I am not like this, my partner and I share a very mutually beneficial relationship. We have helped each other in many ways and love each other dearly, but my behaviour is driving her away, yet she has not given up on me even though I have been doing this for well over 1 year. There have been times I have not been like this; it has not been like this constantly, but I always keep coming back to it once we get sufficiently close. If anyone has some advice, or similar experiences, I would greatly appreciate it.

PilbaraMumma Accepting it is hard for my support
  • replies: 2

Hi all. I struggle with anxiety and somewhat with depression. I can see the toll it has on the relationships around me and it breaks my heart. I know it must be a huge sacrifice to support someone like me...but recently in a heated exchange I felt li... View more

Hi all. I struggle with anxiety and somewhat with depression. I can see the toll it has on the relationships around me and it breaks my heart. I know it must be a huge sacrifice to support someone like me...but recently in a heated exchange I felt like that point was made and I just died inside. I really didn't find it helpful to be reminded of how difficult it is for my spouse to support me - I understand that it is, I know that it is, but to have it put out there like that, I couldn't deal with it. Does anyone have any advice on how to thank the people who support us and show them I understand how difficult it is? Without having it thrown in my face to send me into a spiral?

PilbaraMumma How much do others need to take responsibility?
  • replies: 5

Hi all, Wondering if anyone has any advice/thoughts on this topic. I am really confused about how much other people need to take responsibility and be mindful about someone with anxiety. I find in a lot of relationships, pretty normal standard things... View more

Hi all, Wondering if anyone has any advice/thoughts on this topic. I am really confused about how much other people need to take responsibility and be mindful about someone with anxiety. I find in a lot of relationships, pretty normal standard things can trigger my anxiety particularly in social settings and family settings. So how much do the people around you need to be sensitive and how much do you need to try and manage your reaction? For example I have a sibling who is extremely sarcastic. Everyone else in the family finds it funny but it sets off my anxiety, largely because it has been at my expense over a great many numbers of years. The family consensus is that I'm too sensitive and need to take a joke better but it hurts that I don't feel safe in my own family and that they don't seem to be sensitive to my feelings at all. And this seems to be quite regular - I'm very sensitive to criticism and feel like everyone hates me if they criticise anything. sometimes it's justified but i feel like my defence and offence cant take even constructive criticism. How much of that is on me to work on and how much is on others to work on? Anyone have any ideas? Thanks.

Jilted Lonely in marriage and no purpose to life
  • replies: 16

Hi everyone. Looking for help to get through constant feelings of loneliness, low self esteem and worthlessness To keep things short, I am unhappily married - my husband is a good man but we are more room mates than anything else. This is my second m... View more

Hi everyone. Looking for help to get through constant feelings of loneliness, low self esteem and worthlessness To keep things short, I am unhappily married - my husband is a good man but we are more room mates than anything else. This is my second marriage and we are married 10 years. I’m in my late 40’s. I recently reconnected with my high school boyfriend and have had a whirlwind affair. He is also married and has children. I have no children. He has said he can’t offer me anything more than ‘friends with benefits’. I can’t cope with that and want more. Yes, I know this is wrong and am working my way out of the situation and feel I should also leave my marriage. I wish it could be different though with my high school boyfriend. I look at his life and realize how little I have in my own life except for work. I have a couple of close friends spread over different countries but that’s it. I feel I haven’t achieved anything - no kids, no contribution and no strong connection with family. I feel very lonely, without purpose and just want to isolate from everyone because I feel uninteresting to others, a bad person, and too emotional and messed up for anyone to be around me Any advice please?

Nikkeh Ex boyfriend serious issues
  • replies: 1

So im a 26 year old girl who has recently broke up with my boyfriend of 6 years we have no children and we both live with our parents we have never lived together i had to break up with him beacuse he became so controlive and possive he wouldnt let m... View more

So im a 26 year old girl who has recently broke up with my boyfriend of 6 years we have no children and we both live with our parents we have never lived together i had to break up with him beacuse he became so controlive and possive he wouldnt let me out with my friends there was no trust he would message my friends to confirm i was with them.about a month ago i started going out with my friends going to the city clubbing and not telling him were i was beacuse he said if he found me he would hurt me.. i feel like i should be happy being out of this relationship but its making it worse ilmy anxiety is bad im fighting with my family i just want to be happy

Theunknown Its ended but I have to wait How to cope
  • replies: 7

Dealing with the pain of an unwanted separation is hard. So many emotions and things running through the mind. Took myself to the GP yesterday to get a few things underway. Having a previous suicide attempt provided me with an insight into the slippe... View more

Dealing with the pain of an unwanted separation is hard. So many emotions and things running through the mind. Took myself to the GP yesterday to get a few things underway. Having a previous suicide attempt provided me with an insight into the slippery slope that I was on and where I was headed. I think I have managed to head it off at the pass from that previous experience. I want to get through this and for me, it has become a really difficult scenario to deal with and one that I am sure others have experienced. I am the one leaving the family home as the children don't need to be uprooted. I respect that she is no longer in love and she needs the space. I have secured a rental property but I am unable to relocate for another four weeks until it becomes available. I am finding it exceptionally hard to continue to live and function in the home where we both still reside. We sleep in the same bed but as far to each side as possible with backs turned. I try to communicate and it is short responses. I find myself constantly trying to stop myself from approaching the topic and speaking about the breakdown but I get no responses or she has herself pre-occupied with work or social media and any response is wafty with no real feeling or purpose. Has anyone got any ideas about how to deal with a situation where you cannot remove yourself from the centre of it. I can pick myself up but just seeing her, sharing a bed, with no changes to how we lived other than the ice-cold emotionless demeanour that now replaces what was once warm and loving just brings the hurt all the way back and puts me right back to ground zero.

Jasmine27 My partner is STILL married!
  • replies: 9

I have been in a relationship with the love of my life for 3yrs now! We have known each other since we were children & have both seen each others previous relationships break down before finally finding each other. I am not sure if I am overreacting ... View more

I have been in a relationship with the love of my life for 3yrs now! We have known each other since we were children & have both seen each others previous relationships break down before finally finding each other. I am not sure if I am overreacting or not but there seems to be no rush for my partner to sort his divorce out. He has sent the paperwork to his ex previously but she always seems to misplace it & now has straight out refused to sign it. They have 4 kids together & I feel she is still holding on. My partner has now pushed this to the back of his agenda & I do not know how to feel about the situation let alone how to approach it!

pm251099 Friends- caring or not?
  • replies: 2

Hi all, I’m really not sure if I’m over reacting about this situation but I suppose that’s why I’m looking for perspective on this matter. i have two best friends who I have been close to for about 5 years now. They are the only two people in my frie... View more

Hi all, I’m really not sure if I’m over reacting about this situation but I suppose that’s why I’m looking for perspective on this matter. i have two best friends who I have been close to for about 5 years now. They are the only two people in my friend circle who know about a certain situation that has affected me regarding my family. I told them both in confidentiality and they know that they are the only people that know. However, ever since telling them about the situation I have noticed that they have never followed up on it. They haven’t asked how I am feeling, or where/how the situation has progressed. I have never been someone to openly GO to people shot my problems- I prefer to be prompted to talk about it because I feel like I am a burden talking about an issue if I am not asked about it. Should these friends be considered as caring friends if they haven’t had the common courtesy to ask how it’s going, or should I just put it aside?

Busterbruno Split up
  • replies: 2

My wife of 21 years went away for a 2 weeks back to see her father in the UK. Her step brother who she has met twice before was also staying there as his wife had recently left him. When she came back she told me that she wasnt in love with me anymor... View more

My wife of 21 years went away for a 2 weeks back to see her father in the UK. Her step brother who she has met twice before was also staying there as his wife had recently left him. When she came back she told me that she wasnt in love with me anymore, that I didnt listen and I didnt make her happy. She would complain at me probably every six months that I wasnt passionate enough and I would try for a few days but it never seemed enough. We were both busy with work as well and bringing up 2 children. A week after she told me that she wasnt in love with me, she told me that she was in love with the step brother and that after a day together would shake when he walked in the room. She is moving out and going back to see him in the UK again for a bit with the plan he comes out here permanently later. I'm absolutely devastated as I deeply love her. She wont go to marriage counselling and is actively looking for a rental. It seems like she had a husband off switch one day....it was so sudden to me. To me she is having a mid life crisis but I dont seem to be able to do anything about it. If I touch her she pulls away. Its broken my heart.

Aaron2018 Fifo work effects
  • replies: 2

So I have been a Fifo worker for the past 14 years but for the past two years i was stuck in an office close to home and now that i am away again i have become somewhat of a miserable grump drinking a bottle of wine a night and it is having a massive... View more

So I have been a Fifo worker for the past 14 years but for the past two years i was stuck in an office close to home and now that i am away again i have become somewhat of a miserable grump drinking a bottle of wine a night and it is having a massive affect on my mind and the way i have been feeling about being away. One of the biggest reasons I started this kind of work again was for the money but it is doing a serious number on my head being away from my wife and family this time has been a hell of alot harder than it was 2.5 years ago and i am over it all but every time i mention coming home to the wifey she tells me that i have to stick it out so we can save for our own home finally.