Hi @Lemon_Dolphin
I totally resonate with what you're going through and I'm sending lots of support your way. It's hard when you're craving those real, meaningful conversations, and all it feels like is you're getting surface-level conversations. It can feel like a total gap between what you need and what you're being offered in your relationships, and that can really hurt.
Bringing up your feelings again with those close to you might be a good idea. Sometimes, people don't realise the impact of their actions until it's pointed out to them, and they might just need a gentle reminder about what you're going through. They could just be used to you initiating these conversations, which doesn't mean they don't care, they might just not fully understand your needs and put the responsibility on you to bring it up based on their previous experiences. I think that a lot of people (even though you can tell they know you're hurting) want to pretend everything is okay because that's just the easy way to deal with things.
I also struggle with placing expectations on people. I think a lot of the time, these expectations are not necessarily unrealistic, it's natural to want to be treated the same way we treat others, but unfortunately, that's not always the case. It's good to have expectations, but it's also important to recognise when they might be unrealistic and adjust accordingly.
Please remember to take care of yourself during this time. It's okay to reach out for support, whether it's here or elsewhere, you're not alone in this ❤️
