u/Mammoth_Attorney_338

The main issue is my relationship with my parents, especially my dad.

He is very involved in my life and heavily focused on my routine and decisions (waking up early, gym, work schedule, etc.). He often tells me that people outside the family will take advantage of me and prefers I stay closely aligned with him. He also strongly dislikes my friends and discourages me from spending time with them.

He often says I shouldn’t hang out with friends because he thinks it’s a waste of time, and he gets visibly upset when I do. This has created a lot of pressure around how I spend my time and who I associate with.

Last year, I moved out after a conflict where I felt he was trying to take control of my income. I stayed at a room for a few months and eventually returned home. When I came back, I tried to follow everything he wanted (work schedule, routine, etc.) and I also contributed money/rent to the household/cab situation I use. I hoped things would improve, but the dynamic still feels conditional and based around money and compliance rather than mutual respect.

At one point, I was told: “If you want me to treat you like a friend, you’ll do as I want. If not, you’ll see.”

Because of past conflict, I’ve also had periods where I was not in school and had to rebuild stability. My family situation has been a major factor in my education and independence.

Now I’m considering moving out again, but I feel conflicted. I understand my parents believe they are protecting me, but I also feel restricted and unsure whether this level of control is healthy. I’m trying to figure out if moving out is the right decision and how to handle this situation in a stable way. I found a place already and will move this week but I just don’t want to make a decision I regret. But ultimately I’d be happier living alone. I’ve been able to do everything I wanted and did not mind my life since I was saving money and I was going to go back to school. But now I have no money and I start from 0 again unfortunately.