r/emotionalsupport

I've been considering getting one for a while because of my social anxiety, even though it's undiagnosed. Personally I think it would help a lot, just having something, but i'm unsure. Could people tell me (if you're comfortable) why you got one, and if you think it would help me?

Also, I've been wondering where people get they're essas? I've seen a lot on the internet that seem cool, maybe at little paws? idk

I'm almost having a breakdown, I just wanted someone to talk to, to distract me, to have a casual conversation to clear my head for a while.

My English writing is quite poor, I apologize in advance!!

Hi everyone 22 F. I’m really struggling right now and could use advice or even just someone to talk to.

I’ve suffered with eating disorders for about about 9 years. I struggled with binge eating for 6 years then anorexia for about 3 years. Over the last year I started binge eating again and gained some weight, but recently I’ve fallen back into restricting/starving myself.

Most days I only eat once a day and sometimes that one meal is high calorie and usually junk food so it feels like a binge. Since I started restricting again there are days I don’t feel hungry at all, and other days I feel starving all day. Sometimes I can’t even finish the one meal I make because of the mental block around food.

A big reason I think I’ve spiraled again is because of comments my boyfriend has made. Things like:

“If you were skinny would you still want to be with me?”

and when I told him I thought I was falling back into starving myself, he said:

“Well just do squats so you keep your butt.”

There have been other comments and actions that have really hurt my self-esteem and made me feel unattractive. I know this isn’t entirely his fault I’ve struggled with insecurity and eating disorders long before him but it feels like his comments are making everything worse.

Tonight I tried opening up to him about how hard eating feels for me right now, how sometimes I literally take naps so I don’t have to feel hungry while waiting for dinner, and how hard it is mentally to make food or eat. His response was basically “get over the mental block,” and it turned into a huge argument. He makes me feel stupid and says things like “you’re an adult, act like it.”

I feel really lost. i dont really have anyone to talk to and I don’t know how to help myself or what to do next. If anyone has gone through something similar I’d really appreciate advice or support. Thank you.

​

I live in Pune and today I got a call from my elder brother saying that my mom and dad had actually gone for my father’s tumor surgery, not for a relative’s wedding like they told me earlier. The operation went well and they’ll come back next week.

My father has a stage 2 tumor on his lower lip.

At the same time, I’ve been hiding my academic situation from my parents. I was supposed to graduate in 2025 but I still have 4 backlogs left from last year. My exams start tomorrow and continue till next month. All these months I told my parents I was preparing for competitive exams because I didn’t have the courage to tell them the truth.

Now after hearing about my father’s surgery, I feel ashamed and guilty. I keep thinking I failed as a son.

I don’t even know how to face them anymore.

Going through a rough patch rn that I thought I would be able to get over and for some odd reason I can’t and it seems to be getting worse. There’s a lot happening in my life financially and in my relationship that I just feel lost and could use some guidance from people who aren’t in my close friend group.

I'm 28 and to keep it brief -

I was taken by CPS from my birth parents at 8-months old. Though their visitation rights didn't last long, all memories I have from that are mortifying. By age 8, I was getting a knock on the door by police to tell me that my dad died by drug induced suicide. I had been estranged from my birth mom since I was roughly around 10 years old until she died from throat cancer 2 days before my 27th birthday. I struggle so badly with feeling like I don't belong anywhere, and especially when I try to integrate myself into a partners family. I am so hyper-vigilant and can see and feel that because I'm not blood, I am automatically treated differently and I'm not villainizing anyone for this, because on one hand I do get it, but on the other, I am fighting everyday to keep going because I feel so lonely. My extended family isn't much and they're mostly absent as well. My partner has suggested adult adoption but I'm weary about that. I'm so angry at my parents for doing this to me and I am fearful for the future because day-to-day feels so bleak and I can't imagine it getting much darker and surviving it. Can anyone else relate? Any advice? Anyone gone through adult adoption? Thanks so much.

lungs and liver unable to determine primary as yet

devastated.

lived a normal life healthy and fit up until last 6 weeks.

got DVTs and PEs

then PET scan confirmed cancer :(

I always think of school as of my safe space despite not I having any peers nor close companions to hang out with because of my standoffish nature. Being only child, I'm the one person my mother haves the closest relationship with.

We used to have arguments back to back but now I just want to cut them short, lessening the chances of ruinning her Mental health. Thus vents to me how she gets treated badly by my grandmother and co workers

Frequently I'm in this state of mind where anything besides academics seems foreign to me. When at school I feel like I suddenly gain energy, while home drains it. At school I actually feel like I’m doing stuff that having I have interest in a long time. At Home I just to stay inside, doomscrolling in my bed while she talks about my grandmother on the phone to my uncle.
I know it's immature to dismiss her problems when she has done so much for me. So I recommended her to see a therapist only to decline. I encouraged her to seek out some friends her age, was met with the response, “I only have one friend…you and that's all I need”.

When she said that I immediately felt guilty for everything that I had pissed me off before. And from then on I started to agree with everything that she wanted to say or do, slowly learning that as long as she’s happy that's all that matters. Recently learned this the hard way through argument surronding my class ring.

* Short Story (You skip if you want to)

*Towards the end of last year, 2026, An email was sent out to all Juniors to notify us to purchase our class rings before Feburary 2026 rolls around. It was 200-700 dollars, so I wasn’t planning on getting it due to not being a fan of rings in general. But my mother decided to buy it anyway, claiming how Grandmother never gifted her one.*

*When it was time to customize, Ive wanted the birthstone ruby (Representing my Late Aunt’s Birth month/favorite color) instead of rose quartz. But my mother go ahead to purchase with my birthstone instead. Saying that it makes no sense getting a different color. And while I was angry I need to remember to be grateful for the things I received since I know most parents won't do this for their kids.

I need advice about how to move on while all my brain can do is worry about the wellbeing of my best friend. I(gender-fluid) can’t stop worrying about my best friend who I’ll call Liz(F). I bought two tickets to see TADC The Last Act in theaters and asked her to see it with me, and she seemed really excited. Saying that she couldn’t say ”yes” enough times. Later in the week, she asked me if it counted as a date. I told her that I didn’t think it was a date because it is just two friends without romantic intent. This was something I posted about a while ago. On Friday after school we played video games together online and showed each other our cosplay over video call. The next week after she hadn’t shown up for school for 3 days I messaged her asking if she was alright and telling her that I missed her. She said that she was just a ”bit sick.” I kept going for three more weeks thinking “she’ll be here tomorrow” and she never was. I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I missed her and it got in the way of schoolwork and home responsibilities. Last night I had a dream that she finally showed up to school, although her hair was much longer and dyed purple. And she sat on the opposite side of the room from me. After class, I tried to talk to her but she just said “we can’t be friends anymore.” All emotion drained from my face as I said “okay,” and went home, grabbed a knife from the kitchen, and locked myself in my room. I’m sure most of you can imagine what happened next. I have never had a dream that felt so emotionally real, nor about doing that to myself. Although I have made attempts when I was younger. After waking up fairly earlier than usual, I simply didn’t go to school. I haven’t felt the need to use the bathroom. Nor have I felt hunger or thirst. After expressing my worries about Liz to my father, he got in contact with the school counselor who was only able to tell him that she was alive and safe, and unable to contact friends at the moment. But that I could give letters or drawings that the counselor could get to her. Based on past history shared among our friend group, I think I may know where she is. My only motivation was that I might see her the next day. Now that I know that I probably won’t, my hope and motivation to move on is nonexistent. How do I cope with this and continue to live my life when all I can do is worry about my best friend?