u/Dry_Coffee_1715

I am writing from my bed with a heating pad and intense discomfort. I stoped taking my hormonal birth control around 8 months ago. I am 26 and had been on birth control primarily the pill for roughly ten years when I became sexually active around 14/15. In recent years I discovered that I am queer (no longer need the pill for birth control) and was also curious about getting off the pill since I had been on it for so long and don’t have any memory of what it was like to have a natural cycle. My experiences coming off have been mostly positive. However, I have noticed that I have heavier and more intense periods which I expected. What I didn’t expect was to get painful ovarian cysts I was just curious how common this is for people who have come off the pill after a long period of using hormonal birth control. Thank you :,)

Does anyone else struggle with keeping friendships? I am 26 and have always had a hard time keeping and finding healthy relationships (I have maintained a lot of unhealthy relationships over the years for far too long). I had the most ‘friends’ when I was at my most mentally unhealthy. After 8 years of consistent therapy, I find it so much harder to find people who are actually good friends and people that I want in my life long-term. I often find myself connecting with people, getting somewhat vulnerable, and, in the end, feeling used or like the effort and care I put into the relationship are not reciprocated. It’s really hard to want to connect and to make the effort to show up for others, yet to consistently feel like I am not important in the same way others become important to me. I have one friend who makes me feel very loved and seen which I am extremely grateful for. But I just have never been able to find this kind of closeness or relationship with others. I want to create a community and find my chosen family (I only have one biological family member in my life) but it’s really hard for me. I am curious what others' experiences are and if anyone who was once in my position and how you found long-term friends/ created a chosen family. Thank you :)