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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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Grub17 Serial cheater
  • replies: 4

I’ve recently found out once again my partner/ex has been texting another lady. I first found messages (most deleted) after he has a missed fb call from her.. he denied most the first day then the second day said he messed up and tried apologising an... View more

I’ve recently found out once again my partner/ex has been texting another lady. I first found messages (most deleted) after he has a missed fb call from her.. he denied most the first day then the second day said he messed up and tried apologising and wanting to work us out, later in the week I found pics and videos on his phone that he had in his deleted photos file. I want him to move out so I can figure my head out. I’m feel like I should kick him to the curb because this has gone on for ten years of online/texting cheating. He has recently started to admit to everything (which he never does) including physically cheating at the start of our relationship. I’m so confused and feel empty. I want my family but I don’t want to be a door mat.

Gpop New to BB
  • replies: 25

Hi everyone my name is Al, I am new to this and not too sure where to begin or to express what I am feeling atm. So do I just poor everything out on this forum, as to what has transpired over the last 14 months since finishing my FIFO job. I can’t ke... View more

Hi everyone my name is Al, I am new to this and not too sure where to begin or to express what I am feeling atm. So do I just poor everything out on this forum, as to what has transpired over the last 14 months since finishing my FIFO job. I can’t keep everything bottled up anymore, need to let it out, I am afraid my mental state is not where it should be. Help

Niamh1989 I’m a new mum, not coping that well, and I have no one to talk to about it
  • replies: 2

Hi all. I’m 30 years old and I’m mum to a beautiful 10 month old little girl. I bonded with her from literally the very beginning and I love her more than anything. I have never struggled to bond with her. Like most mums, I put her needs before all m... View more

Hi all. I’m 30 years old and I’m mum to a beautiful 10 month old little girl. I bonded with her from literally the very beginning and I love her more than anything. I have never struggled to bond with her. Like most mums, I put her needs before all my own. Lately I’ve been having a really rough time. I think I can boil it down to the following things: 1. I am my own worst enemy. I hate having to ask for help. I really really hate it. I feel embarrassed and like an idiot. 2. The person I would most like to ask for help is my mum and she can be quite cold and unhelpful. She is from the school of thought that nobody helped her and she managed so what am I complaining about. Because she’s like this, I am cold in return. She makes me feel incredibly guilty if I ask her for anything. She babysat once in 10 months for 2 hours. She was supposed to again today and I was so looking forward to it, then I got gastro (!!) And had to cancel. She just said, oh no get better soon. I don’t think she will offer to do it again anytime soon. Once I poured my heart out to her in an email and told her I was not coping, I had called lifeline, and I had hurt myself, about one or two months ago. She called me up and basically said, that’s life, and to call her if I need to (honestly why would I?) or call Lifeline again in future. 3. none of my friends have kids. 4. My husband is supportive but he works full time. He does a lot to help me on weekends. However I’m still breastfeeding so really it’s still me doing nighttime’s, and bub still wakes several times every night. I can be mean to my husband as I am so exhausted, run down and feel so alone. He becomes my punching bag. We always make up afterwards but day to day it can be volatile. Im sorry this isn’t very well explained. Basically I feel alone and I need somewhere to turn. I am in playgroups/mums groups but honestly I know for a fact that these mums have their shit together more than me. They’re not perfect but they definitely aren’t in this level of struggletown. I’m not quite sure why I’m having such a shit time of it really. My guess is that my bub is particularly tricky, I don’t have a supportive immediate family, and none of my friends have kids. anyway just really hoping someone out there can identify or relate to any of this....... Niamh

SydneyKat Cheated on me
  • replies: 18

So all this time I thought he was having just an emotional affair, people told me otherwise and I didn't believe it. Now the guilt has hit him and he told me he slept with her a handful of times, he said he couldn't keep the secret any longer. He see... View more

So all this time I thought he was having just an emotional affair, people told me otherwise and I didn't believe it. Now the guilt has hit him and he told me he slept with her a handful of times, he said he couldn't keep the secret any longer. He seems to be deciding between me (wife of 6 yrs and 18 yrs partners in total) with young child and the other woman . The ex partner of the woman actually contacted me and told me all, but u was unsure at the time , he also said she is a woman who goes for taken men (who does that right?!) this is her 3rd time, he also told me other bad traits of hers . My husband seems to be discovering pieces of this but doesn't believe everything either ( deluded, wants to believe she was the one for him, she was there for him to talk, he'd been bottling up feelings for a while, that were over years against me , I'd call them niggling things about me, eg me cleaning too much , not getting right brand of something ). Am I insane for contemplating the idea of what if he asks to come back ? He says he has been thinking about it but doesn't know what to do still. Or do I just burn everything of his and tell him not come near me again

newstart89 Finding closure and moving forward after infidelity
  • replies: 3

I recently found out that my ex fiancé (partner of 10 years) was having an affair. We have parted ways, however I am struggling to find closure and move forward. He refuses to discuss the topic, and has also said that he is not sorry for what he has ... View more

I recently found out that my ex fiancé (partner of 10 years) was having an affair. We have parted ways, however I am struggling to find closure and move forward. He refuses to discuss the topic, and has also said that he is not sorry for what he has done. I am completely devasted. We have been together since I was 18. It not only feels like I have lost my soul mate but also my identity. At the time we were going through a rough patch – however I never believed he would ever cheat or have an affair. He said that he had been unhappy for several years (although never discussed this with me). During these years we also purchased our home, and he proposed a year ago. He has said he thought doing these things would “fix” the relationship. I was unaware he was unhappy and this obviously sent different signals to me. While still caring (and possibly loving him), I am also concerned for his own mental state. The affair began with him signing up to a dating site with a false identity, false life and false photos (unfortunately this isn’t the first occurrence he has falsified his identity). A few months into the online affair he identified his true self to her, and begged for her forgiveness. Since then they have been on several dates, weekends away etc. Promising to show her that he can care and look after her. When I found out about the affair he refused to discuss anything with me. Simply making the decision to leave our relationship of 10 years and pursue the affair (she is 18 and he is 30). This further confuses me as he said he did genuially want to work on our relationship but also said he would have never told me about the affair if things worked out. I have tossed back and forth between fixing our relationship, however I believe too much trust has been lost. I can’t find closure because ultimately I want to understand what drove him to this point. I want to understand why he never spoke to me about these feelings. I know from previous discussions that he morally is against cheating – so I cant understand what has occurred. I’m concerned that he isn’t in a good mental state either, however he won’t speak to family or friends. I moved interstate to be with my family, however I’ve now lost my soul mate, my job, my home and friends. I’m not sure how to move forward and literally restart my life. Ultimately I am looking for some advice on how to move forward, when closure is unlikely.

Unusual_orchid Any resources/materials about divorcing my own family and healing
  • replies: 7

Could I please have some recommendation regarding the resources/materials/books dealing with cutting off the relationship with toxic family member and healing from it? After 10 years of giving a chance to my mother - who is toxic, manipulative, contr... View more

Could I please have some recommendation regarding the resources/materials/books dealing with cutting off the relationship with toxic family member and healing from it? After 10 years of giving a chance to my mother - who is toxic, manipulative, controlling, delusional, angry all the time - I am deciding to completely cut off the relationship with her. Sitting alone here and tying this thread - it still feels like I am hearing her voice of telling me what I should be doing right now, what I should be eating for dinner tonight, what clothes I should be wearing, etc. I so much want to get rid of this invisible voice completely from my mind. How can I fix this?

Bluefire Should I leave?
  • replies: 5

I'm considering right now leaving my husband who I have been with for 19 years. Yesterday by chance I happened to see him parked a few suburbs away from home (after finishing work in the city) and walk into a seedy thai massage parlour, I was complet... View more

I'm considering right now leaving my husband who I have been with for 19 years. Yesterday by chance I happened to see him parked a few suburbs away from home (after finishing work in the city) and walk into a seedy thai massage parlour, I was completely shocked and tried to call him but he refused to answer I waited in the carpark and missed him coming back a different way but I called him again to see if he would lie as he was late home and we had places to be. He lied and then continued to lie, which is what he does, He's never admitted anything even when I've seen things with my own eyes. Now there has been a lot of lies over the years which I've known 100% are lies and I guess because I love him so much I've stored them away, I've never forgiven or forgotton but just stored them. over the years his affection has dropped off and he isn't interested in sex (very rarely) he says he has low sex drive and that it's him not me. lately he's been quite nasty and angry in the way he talks to me and over the years (when drunk) always threatens to leave me and that he's not happy - I've always questioned this the next day and he denies he feels this way? I'm very confused and it will be difficult to leave due to finances/ properties etc and I've always ended up staying but things aren't getting better, I don't trust him, I can't rely on him and he shows no interest in doing fun things with me much these days he just does the things he likes - alone. I've told him I want to leave and and first he was angry now he says he loves me and always will and wants to support me even when I go - I feel like he'll never change and I've invested nearly 20 years into this relationship - do I leave?

Brasha ADULT DAUGHTER DISOWNED ME
  • replies: 4

So it would appear that I’m one of “those” mothers, the ones who apparently expect too much & take too to the point that my daughter has no more to give i grew up in a sexually abusive home, one my own mother didn’t know about until I was much older.... View more

So it would appear that I’m one of “those” mothers, the ones who apparently expect too much & take too to the point that my daughter has no more to give i grew up in a sexually abusive home, one my own mother didn’t know about until I was much older. For many years I blamed her for not protecting me and well, my life choices have been less than desirable for most of my life. When my eldest was about 6yrs old I met my 2nd husband - he was (and still is) a narcissist. I was so wrapped up in my own depression (from my childhood trauma & the abuse from my first husband) that I just didn’t see what this man was like. He was emotionally abusive to my daughter (and to me) but I just went along and defended him at every turn. 2 more children later I eventually saw this man for what he was and I left. I finally sort professional help and for the most part “I am better” ..... my daughter now 24 has over the past several years had digs at me over not protecting her and recently she had has made some pretty awedul life choices of her own. Anyway, I thought my mother & I AND my daughter & i had sorted things a long time ago between us all but alas a few days we had a falling out (as families do) - my daughter got involved and I pretty much told them both off because it seems that’s OK for them to tell me how to live but not ok in reverse. The response was my daughter texting me saying she “doesn’t want to hear from or see me again - she’s done with the shit” i feel like she’s actually never forgiven me for not leaving the narcissist asswipe earlier and this falling out is just an excuse to tell me to piss off, something I feel she’s wanted to say for such a long time. im heartbroken but to a degree I understand why she has never forgiven me. I’ve never forgiven myself. My plan is to do exactly what she’s asked for - leave her be, move on with my life and wait ..... for the day that maybe she comes around ?? From experience- does anyone have any advice to offer? Do you think she’ll come around or will she hold onto this resentment for me ?? nb: we have all, as a family had many years of councelling which is why I believed we were all cool

45987 Should you deal with or cut off family who don't accept you?
  • replies: 8

I'm having a hard time dealing with my family because they do not accept me and tell me off because: I'm not social and don't have friends or a boyfriend, and prefer staying home and studying. I'm not super skinny: I usually exercise around 4 times a... View more

I'm having a hard time dealing with my family because they do not accept me and tell me off because: I'm not social and don't have friends or a boyfriend, and prefer staying home and studying. I'm not super skinny: I usually exercise around 4 times a week but I have a BMI around 25 as I can sometimes eat too much. My part time job isn't good enough for them: The only thing I could get was pushing trolleys which I actually prefer because I don't like dealing with customers, plus despite the fact I'm not skinny I'd say I'm reasonably fit from going to the gym, but because I'm female it's not considered good enough. What would people recommend? Should I just deal with the fact I'm not good enough for my family (+ any suggestions to learn to do this), or should I try to move out? I'm on ~$400 a week, the lower range of rent is around $300, but I'm not really sure how much I'd need to live by myself. Thanks for any suggestions

Dungeonella I try to make friends but only get rejections
  • replies: 4

Hi all, I was in a long term relationship that has recently ended. Within this relationship, I (stupidly) pushed away the friends I did have and gave my all to this girl. Now that it has ended, I feel as if there is nobody to call my "tribe." I reall... View more

Hi all, I was in a long term relationship that has recently ended. Within this relationship, I (stupidly) pushed away the friends I did have and gave my all to this girl. Now that it has ended, I feel as if there is nobody to call my "tribe." I really struggle with social anxiety, however have a need for human interaction and social relationships that just don't seem to want to appear. I have tried to make friends through work, through my regular cafe, and by using online forums but each time I put myself out there, I only get rejected and this is leading me to believe I am going about it the wrong way. I try to adapt my strategies to initiate some form of conversation, but they all seem to fail. I'm nearly 26 and realize that making friends once your an adult can be difficult for everybody, and also that most people my age either have their tribes already formed, or are focused on their careers or creating a family. I guess I am posting this with the hope that somebody out there has some ideas or suggestions as to how to go about making friendships once your grown. If anyone has any advice, I'd be forever grateful. Thanks for reading this if you have, and if you have an idea, I'm all ears! Thank you Beyond Blue world, Dungeonella