Advice Column

My husband and his mom have an incredibly close bond. He’s the baby of the family, the one who stayed close to home, and they talk daily.

• We live across the street from them in a house they bought for us.
• We have dinner with them every Sunday and then again at their house every Monday.
• They watch our child for several hours every Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, but there’s always some criticism about my parenting.
• They buy something new for the baby every week, pay for our lawn service, bought our cars, and, of course, our house.

[Read more…] about “My husband is a classic mamas boy”

I’ve been with my wife since I was a teenager, married for 15 years, and we have two kids. But deep down, I’ve known for a long time that I wasn’t truly in love. I stayed because I was too afraid to leave, too unsure of how to have the hard conversation. I convinced myself that what I wanted in a relationship—romance, intimacy, spontaneity—was just a fantasy.

[Read more…] about “I checked out of this marriage five years ago”

I started dating a guy I met online three months ago, and while things started off great, issues quickly surfaced. Even on the first date, he asked me not to block him—twice—and later apologized for saying he liked me too much and calling me beautiful. The day after the date, he became overly clingy, saying he craves my attention and is already “obsessed.” I tried to brush it off since we had been emotionally close online, but it felt a bit fast.

[Read more…] about “My boyfriend is obsessed and clingy”

I struggle with pretty severe OCD and social anxiety, which makes navigating daily life challenging. Hearing stories from my women friends about creepy guys—catcalling, following them, making them uncomfortable—sticks with me. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating, but it’s also made me hyper-aware of my own presence as a man.

When I’m out in public, I feel this constant pressure to make sure I’m not accidentally making anyone uncomfortable. I’ll cross the street, stand as far away as possible, and even avoid getting into elevators if it’s just me and a woman. I haven’t let myself date in a couple of years because of this fear that my presence alone could cause discomfort.

[Read more…] about “I’m too scared of coming off as “creepy” to all women and it’s ruining my dating life and friendships.”

I am a coward and a weak man, and have always been . I avoid conflict and take shit from others, when I was younger I never fought back when people picked on me or even hit me, because I always thought that they were stronger and I only wanted it to end.

Even as an Adult I have been avoiding it, wether it be in the workplace, school, or with friends (changing the way I talk or hiding my opinions to please others), while telling myself that it’s better “to keep the peace” but in reality it is simply because I am afraid of the confrontation and do not want to upset anybody in anyway.

[Read more…] about “I am a coward”

I’m 23, 5’4” and my height has made dating a significant challenge.

When I talk about this insecurity, people often dismiss it, saying, “Height doesn’t matter” or “It’s all about confidence.” I struggle to believe that—women have rejected me outright due to my height, I’ve overheard negative comments about short men, and in years of online dating, I’ve only gotten matches when I experimented by listing my height as 6’2”. When I revealed my real height, I got ghosted.

[Read more…] about “I’m a 5’4” guy, and can’t find confidence when trying to date.”

For seven years, I’ve been living with my best friend, a woman who has been my rock through unimaginable loss. We met during a dark time in my life—after losing my mom and grandmother in quick succession—and quickly became inseparable. We’ve traveled, lived together (in separate rooms), gone to church, and done almost everything as a pair.

The problem? I’m deeply in love with her, but she doesn’t feel the same. Early on, she told me she wasn’t interested in dating until she was 40, and despite my hope that her feelings would change, they haven’t. She values our friendship but says she doesn’t feel the romantic “spark.”

[Read more…] about “Im in love with my best friend but she doesn’t feel the same way”

I’m 20, turning 21 in a week, and I’m getting close to being in a good financial position. I have a job and hope to live with a roommate—either a friend or my boyfriend—once I graduate college. However, my parents have told me they won’t allow me to move out until I’m either married or 30. They say, “You have your whole life to live on your own, but only a limited amount of time to live with us.” That comment really hurts me.

[Read more…] about “My parents won’t let me move out until I’m 30”

I’m 29 years old and living at home with my parents. Financially, it’s been a huge help. I’m able to save a lot of money, and with the cost of living and rent being so high, I’ve been thinking it’s the smart thing to do. But at the same time, I feel like I’m stuck in this weird in-between stage of adulthood.

I have a full-time job, I help out around the house, and I pay for my own things, but I still feel like a teenager in a lot of ways. My parents don’t really give me rules, but it’s not exactly my space either. I’m starting to wonder if staying here is actually holding me back from growing into the person I want to be.

[Read more…] about “Should I Move Out at 29 or Keep Saving Money?”

Six years ago, I found out that my wife (40F) was unfaithful, and it hit me hard. At the time, I chose to stay for the sake of our young child, hoping to keep his life stable. Over the years, we’ve tried everything—couples counseling, therapy, you name it—trying to rebuild what was broken. But no matter how much effort we’ve put in, it hasn’t worked. Our relationship has become more of a partnership in parenting than a marriage. She’s a great mother to our kids, but the love we once had is gone. I see her more as a friend or a roommate now, not the woman I fell in love with. We’ve been together for almost 18 years, but it doesn’t feel like a marriage anymore.

[Read more…] about “My wife cheated and I have trouble leaving”