Anonymous Venting for Mental Health and Emotional Support

I’m 29, I’m a woman, and yeah I’m married but most days it feels like I’m living with a ghost who pays bills and leaves socks near the bed. My husband works all the freaking time. Like ALL the time. He leaves early, comes home late, eats like he’s in a race, then opens his laptop or stares at his stupid phone. I get it, jobs are hard, money matters, blah blah, I’m not dumb. I know he’s not out partying or cheating or whatever dramatic movie crap. He’s working. But still, I feel alone in my own relationship and it’s making me feel like crap. Is that needy? I don’t even know anymore.

Sunday is supposed to be “our day” but lol no. I basically see him on Sunday and even then he works a few hours from home. He says it’s “just catching up” but it eats half the day, then the other half he’s tired and scrolling emails. Last Sunday I made pancakes because I thought maybe we could have a cute morning, like normal couples do. He took two bites, said “thanks babe,” then answered a work call in the hallway for 35 minutes. I sat there with cold pancakes like some sad idiot. I wanted to throw the plate, not gonna lie. But also I know he’s stressed and I know he’s doing this for us, so I feel bad being mad. That’s the worst part, I’m angry but also guilty, like my feelings are being annoying on purpose.

I don’t want a perfect husband who brings flowers and writes poems, ew honestly. I just want him to look at me without checking if his phone buzzed. I want one damn dinner where he’s actually there. I’ve told him this before and he says he knows, he’ll try, work is crazy right now. But “right now” has been like forever. Am I supposed to just wait until life magically gets less busy? Because I’m scared one day I’ll stop caring and then it’ll be too late. I love him, I really do, and I don’t think he’s a bad guy. I just think he forgot I’m here. Has anyone else been married but felt single as hell?

It was my birthday. I'm middle aged, have a husband and 3 children, the youngest is about to graduate high school. My eldest asked me earlier in the week if I wanted to go have a drinking date with him (we do this about every 4 mo or so) on Saturday. I thought it was a great way to kick off my birthday on Sunday! Then my youngest asks him if he's paying for my pedicure tomorrow (on Saturday) and he says no, we already discussed that. "I went on the hike for mother's day, she chose that over the pedicure." Then my youngest explains to him yeah, but tomorrow's her birthday, and to his merit he immediately recanted and said of course! Fast forward to Sunday. No special morning anything. Middle (married) son calls me with issues about his almost former landlord, and an update on the new place. 20 min into the conversation, I ask if he called me today for any other reason. Long story short, he sees the date and blurts out a happy birthday. I invite them to join us for dinner at a local steakhouse. They agree. Youngest rushes me out the door to collect her BFF as we race to get our pedicures, mine for aging, theirs for prom. Done, go drop off BFF, go pick up youngest's finished prom dress, then she leaves with BFF to the mall. I go lay down and take a short nap. Then wait on the couch, doom scrolling until it's time to leave for dinner. We all go together, eat, the steakhouse does their birthday rendition (yelling yee-haw). Come home, husband asks if I've showered today and I said no, I showered last night. He gives me almost the 3rd degree because our unofficial standing for nookie is Sunday nights at least each week. I go shower after a bit. He bakes a completely overly sweet cake I tried last week that he saw on TikTok, opens the microwave where he put it to cool, says happy birthday, you want some?

Now here's where I'm having issues. I'm not a materialistic person. At. All. I've often asked for things like a new vacuum or can opener for Xmas or birthdays and been rebuked because those aren't "FOR you", I should ask for things for me, not the house. This year I couldn't think of a thing I wanted. So that's exactly what I got. I got my nails painted because I do that with my youngest about twice a year and this time it lined up with my bday and my eldest got to gloss over forgetting by paying for it. My middle son showed up for dinner with his wife. Ta-da. My husband paid for dinner and baked a cake he meant to bake last week. That's it. No gifts. No candles. No family singing happy birthday. Oh! Almost. My sister sent me a strawberry plant starter kit from NC and my step mother gave me a generic card from church with $20 in it that she signed hers and my dad's names in and handed it to me when I went to their place to pick up something she'd made my youngest for prom on Saturday. Told me she knew it wasn't for a couple days, but happy early birthday. It was the day before my birthday. They couldn't even remember my birth date, though it's 2 days before my half-brother's (their son). I'm almost 50, he's 36.

So I'm sitting on here asking anonymously. Am I allowed to feel sad that I have a husband of 21+ years and 3 kids and for my birthday I got to eat with them and get my toenails painted? I got the gift of eating dinner, including dessert. I KNOW I'm not materialistic, but is receiving nothing to be expected when I don't ask for anything specifically?

Side note, I'm also 5mo post-hysterectomy and can't trust my emotions to be real or not anymore. This is a genuine question.

anyone willing to help me get revenge they are still stalking and harassing me and the cops won't do anything and I just found out my ex and his best friend are still best buddies and my ex got a new girlfriend the day he blocked me

Sometimes I feel like the annoying, dumb, designated ugly fat friend, when compared to my friends who are thin, pretty/handsome, smart. In addition I did try telling them both about how I felt with them, but it didn't feel like they cared much. But it could be just me over thinking. The worst part was whenever one had a sort of phase where she kept saying she looked fat while eating or just infront of me, I tried somewhat talking to her about it, but as I said before it felt like they (or she in this situation) couldn't care less, which in hindsight took a great toll on my mental health, so currently I just feel like a pig with lipstick everytime I try to make myself look prettier or something like that, i feel annoying when trying to talk about my feelings to them , because the most common response i would get from them both is 'no it's not like that' or whatever. However, all of this could just be me over thinking...

I have a financial goal but no career goal to match. I'm interviewing for a job that could get me past my financial goal, but I don't care about it. I'm worried it'll be demanding but I'm a "clock out at 5 sharp" kind of person.

Pros that matter to me: 25k raise

Other pros: building a team/process from scratch so good for resume and snagging a senior position later. In the career direction that I "want".

Cons: I'll have to sacrifice my current job that's very chill where I do almost nothing, 1-2hr drive depending on traffic (only 2x per week), they may expect over 40hrs a week from me

I've always been motivated in the past. I always cared about my grades in school and what colleges i applied to and what clubs I did. Even early career I cared about moving up and had "dream jobs". But as time has gone on I've realized I don't like working. I've seen more of the reality of the situation and become my jaded and just don't care. Like my old dream job, art director, would require adhering to corporate whims, people and project management, limiting my creativity, and 10 years before that of getting paid dust in graphic design. I'm not interested. I see now that all jobs are jobs so I'm not ever going to truly CARE for any of them.

I wish I did still want more. But the motivation is gone. I'm running away from dissatisfaction instead of towards something. I'm frustrated with my current pay and know I'd feel better making more. I want to feel like I've achieved more, be able to save more, keep up with rising costs, and be able to have an apartment. I understand theoretically that I'm gonna keep wanting more as prices rise, so i have to keep trying in my career.

At my current job I'm very comfortable doing nothing all day and am kind of waiting on my boss to notice and get mad at me. I am hoping a new job with new tasks will at least give me enough motivation to not get fired but idk. I don't care. And it makes these interviews feel weird because i feel like I shouldnt feel this way. The recruiter said i need to be excited. I can fake it for an interview, but I'm not excited at all.

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I've read this is normal to some degree. A lot of people arent passionate about their jobs. So, what is that like? How did you build a career and get promotions and move up all while not giving one single damn? Am I willing to try at something I have no personal stake in? I'm not sure; never been in such a position. I could keep applying to try to find an easier, remote job that'll meet my income goal, but we all see this job market. I'm worried nothing better will come along. In months of applying I've only interviewed one other place and they paused hiring.

What would you do?

I've come to the harsh realization that perhaps, I'm not the nicest person around. In my mid-thirties, I find myself surrounded only by a single friend and a girlfriend, yet I can't shake the feeling that I'm somehow superior to others. My lifestyle is quite reclusive; I shy away from any social gatherings related to work, and most of my routine revolves around my job, hitting the gym, smoking weed, and cycling. Traveling and cycling in the forest are my escapes, the rare times I don't feel swamped by depression.

Interacting with people, especially in groups, is a daunting task for me. The fear of turning red-faced and being judged negatively is always lurking. Thus, I avoid such situations altogether. There's a worrisome intensity in the way I live; I indulge too often in alcohol or getting high, viewing people merely as elements that enhance my own existence. My eyes wander too freely, admiring every attractive woman I come across, often blatantly flirting in the presence of my girlfriend. Even though these thoughts are never vocalized, I often catch myself belittling others or feeling utter disdain towards them internally.

I confess to being a staunch atheist, holding a disdainful view towards those who are spiritually inclined, believing myself to be smarter, better-looking, and stronger. The resentment builds whenever I see someone possessing what I desire, although I manage to keep this anger bottled up within.

Dominating these emotions is a profound sense of isolation, mixed oddly with a perverse comfort in wallowing in my misery. Sometimes, hurting my own feelings seems like a twisted form of pleasure, perhaps because it means feeling something at all.

My family background does little to lighten my outlook. My brother lives with the dark shadow of being a murderer and a former heroin addict. My father was a violent man, devoid of emotions, who ultimately took his own life. My mother, afflicted by illness so severe that she has been bedridden since my childhood, sparks a guilt within me for not taking care of her. However, I've chosen a path of self-preservation as dedicating myself to her care would consume my own existence entirely.

This life I've crafted for myself is one I despise, yet a part of me feels I shouldn't. With a good education, a well-paying job, and an undeniable appeal to women, I should feel fulfilled. Instead, I’m left feeling empty and, frankly, disgusted with myself for sounding like a self-pitying fool. What the hell is wrong with me?

Despite my efforts not to belittle others overtly, the impression that people don’t like me is hard to shake off. Loneliness is a constant companion.

If I were to join a reality show, my character might be polarizing. Would the audience appreciate my brutally honest introspections, or would they be repelled by my self-confessed arrogance and emotional detachment? It's intriguing yet terrifying to ponder how my persona would unfold under the constant scrutiny of cameras and a public audience.

I chose the friendship stories category but yeah it's related to friendship, love, family, work... I am like that.

Hey everyone, I’m not usually one to air my personal stuff, but I really need some advice here. For the past few months, I’ve had this gut feeling that my wife might be cheating on me, and it's eating me alive. I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but the signs are starting to pile up, and I’m just not sure what to do.

It all started when she began staying late at work more often. At first, I didn’t think much of it—she’s always been dedicated to her job. But then, she became super protective of her phone. She used to leave it lying around, but now she keeps it close and seems to be on it all the time, even at odd hours. And when I casually ask about her day, her answers feel...vague? Like she’s hiding something.

Then there are the little things. She started dressing up more than usual, even just to “run errands” or meet friends. It’s almost like she’s trying to impress someone. I’ve tried to brush it off, telling myself I’m being paranoid, but every time I bring it up, she gets defensive or says I’m just being insecure. It makes me feel like maybe I’m overthinking, but part of me feels like my concerns are valid.

To make things worse, I found a receipt for a fancy dinner that she said was a "work thing," but I know her company usually doesn’t do dinners like that. I keep second-guessing myself, and now I’m stuck in this loop of anxiety. I don’t want to accuse her without solid proof, but I also can’t keep living in this uncertainty.

So here I am, asking for advice. Has anyone else been through this? How do you confront someone you love without it turning into a huge fight? Should I even bring it up again, or am I just being paranoid? Any advice would be appreciated—I feel like I’m losing my mind here.

For the longest time, I’ve been stuck in this cycle of excuses. I’d wake up every morning telling myself I’d make changes, that today would be different, but by the time the day ended, I was back to square one. Whether it’s eating healthier, exercising, or even just cleaning my space, I keep putting it off. I’d tell myself, "I’ll start tomorrow," but tomorrow never seems to come.

Yesterday was my breaking point. I was scrolling through social media and saw an old friend post about running their first marathon. I remember how we used to run together, how much I loved it back then. And now? I can’t even jog up the stairs without feeling winded. It hit me like a ton of bricks—what am I even doing with my life? Why do I keep finding reasons to avoid what I know I need to do?

I looked around my apartment after that. Clothes piled up on the floor, dishes in the sink from who-knows-how-many days ago, and a gym membership card collecting dust on the counter. That’s when it finally clicked—it’s time to stop. It’s time to stop avoiding the hard stuff, time to stop pretending everything will fix itself, and time to stop being my own worst enemy.

I don’t have a perfect plan yet, and honestly, I’m scared I’ll slip back into my old habits. But I know I can’t keep going like this. If I don’t make a change now, when will I? Maybe writing this out will help me stay accountable. I don’t know who needs to hear this, but if you’re feeling stuck too, maybe it’s time to stop and take the first step. We’ve got this.

Got lots of love to give but no one wants to have it. They want the toxic ones.

I never thought I’d end up here, but here I am, dreading every single morning when my alarm goes off. I hate my job. There, I said it. I’ve tried to convince myself that it’s just a phase, that everyone feels like this sometimes, but it’s been almost a year, and nothing’s changed. If anything, it’s gotten worse.

The work itself isn’t even that bad. I mean, it’s not what I’m passionate about, but it’s tolerable. The real problem is the people. My boss is one of those micro-managers who has to be involved in every tiny detail. No matter what I do, it’s never good enough. I’ll spend hours on a project, only for them to nitpick and make me redo the whole thing for no real reason. It’s exhausting and makes me feel like all my effort is pointless.

Then there’s the office culture—or lack of it. Nobody talks to each other unless it’s about work. Lunch breaks feel like detention, with everyone silently eating at their desks or scrolling through their phones. I tried to make friends when I first started, but everyone already seemed to have their little cliques. After a while, I just gave up.

What really gets to me, though, is the constant pressure. It’s like they expect us to give 110% all the time, but they don’t give anything back. Overtime is practically mandatory, but don’t expect a “thank you” or even acknowledgment for staying late. And forget about a raise or promotion—that’s a pipe dream. It’s hard not to feel bitter when you’re working so hard and getting nothing in return.

I keep telling myself I should just quit, but it’s not that simple. I’ve got bills to pay, and the job market isn’t exactly booming right now. Plus, there’s this tiny voice in the back of my head that keeps asking, “What if the next job is just as bad—or worse?” It’s like I’m stuck in this cycle where I hate my job, but I’m too scared to leave.

Even at home, I can’t seem to escape it. I’m constantly checking emails or stressing about the next deadline. It’s like my job has taken over my entire life, and I don’t know how to take it back. My family keeps telling me to just hang in there, but they don’t understand how draining it is. By the end of the day, I’m too tired to even think about applying for other jobs, let alone pursuing something I actually enjoy.

Sometimes, I wonder if it’s me. Maybe I’m just not cut out for this kind of work. Or maybe I’m being ungrateful because at least I have a job. But then I think about how miserable I am, and I can’t help but feel like there has to be more to life than this. Doesn’t there?

If anyone else feels this way, I’d love to know how you’re coping—or if you’ve managed to get out, how did you do it? Right now, I just feel stuck, and honestly, it’s hard to see a way forward. All I know is, I can’t keep living like this. Something’s gotta give.