Who do you turn to and can rely on in times of need?

[Dr1ppin]

Who is your support system?

[Waxonwaxoff0]

My mum and my friends.

[Nicolastuffedone]

Husband, sister, best friend I’ve known for over 30 years! All would help and take any confidences to the grave!

[minicat]

Three friends who I know I could call any time about anything.

We also have a nice local community we could turn to if we needed support.

[Mydarlingsleepthief]

Husband

[BernardsarenotalwaysSaints]

Dh, best friend, Aunties x2, next door neighbour/friend. They've all helped me through incredibly tough times, both emotionally & practically.

[Ishihtzuknot]

My best friend, she’s always there if I need to moan and get things off my shoulders. I have no one physically there for me or to support with anything, but her being available when I need to talk helps more than the alternative would.

[PennyDreadfuI]

DH. No friends or other family (apart from DD and I don't want to burden her with my woes, though she is fabulous and I know she wouldn't mind and would probably be upset if she knew I kept stuff from her). DH has no friends or family either so we're each others' support system.

[HUCKMUCK]

DH mainly. Adult DD for some things as appropriate. Best Friend if I was in a panic. I do also have two SILs - we are friendly and can rely on each other and often do with regard to elderly parents but not so much aout things personal to me.

Actually, now I think about it, I have a really good support system at work. Our whole team is very supportive if anyone is having home issues.

[Katinski]

Who's yours, OP?

[pinkhousesarebest]

My D. I have learned from bitter experience that he is the only one who really gives one. I used to confide a lot in my dsis but then I realised that it was far from being reciprocal.

[WaynettaLob]

Actually no-one. H cba talking about feelings, mum stresses at slightest issue, sister judgemental, two friends wrapped up in their own little world and problems which are always worse than mine so just carry on all by myself!

[LilaButterfly]

My husband, mum, grandma, both siblings and my 2 best friends. These are the people where i could literally turn up out of nowhere with a suitcase and my kids and they would let me stay there.

[Moonmelodies]

Satan.

[The80sweregreat]

Just me , as like others on here my friends have their own stuff to deal with and my family are all over the place location wise and all pretty useless if I needed any help anyway.
I've had to be strong and get on with it on my own mostly!

[firecracker69]

Myself mainly. I tend to shut myself off until I've processed whatever I'm going through at that time. I've learned that you can only truly rely on yourself so that's what works for me.

Eventually, I will speak to a couple of my closest friends but it's difficult because they haven't always experienced what I'm going through. I speak to my mum too but only when I'm coming out the other side....

[Cam2020]

My mum. I have three close friends that would do whatever they could to help me if I needed it and the same goes for them from me. I'm pretty self sufficient generally as a person but I really missed being able to have a coffee and a chat with mum (in person) during lockdown. It's been a particularly tough year and I've needed more support than I ever thought I would.

I'm extremely grateful to have the family and friends I do.

[uncomfortablydumb53]

My eldest DS
We can talk about anything and everything
He comes with me to medical assessments( DWP!) and has dealt with MH teams over the years
My other two DS's would worry too much
I don't have other friends or family

[Crunchymum]

My MIL.

[OnceUponALorry]

Depends on what I need to rely on someone for. All my family and friends have different traits, some would be useless in some situations and brilliant in others.

[Bloodybridget]

DP, my brother, my closest friend, DP's DS (and either of her other two DCs as well, but they aren't in London). And if none of them were available, other local friends and neighbours. We are very lucky. All were brilliant last year when I was ill.

[mbosnz]

DH. I'm afraid I got really rather burned when I sought to rely on members of family for support in the past, and will never give them the chance to hurt me like that again.

[spagbog5]

Dh,my brother, dd x3 if appropriate ,sil x2

[SparklingLime]

My mum, but she’s very elderly now. No one else. I feel very alone.

[Toomuchtooyoung01]

My 3 best mates.

[MadCatLady71]

@WaynettaLob

Actually no-one. H cba talking about feelings, mum stresses at slightest issue, sister judgemental, two friends wrapped up in their own little world and problems which are always worse than mine so just carry on all by myself!

Me too. In tough times I prefer to work through things on my own. DM and all of my female friends are too emotional whereas I prefer to approach things from in a pragmatic, minimum fuss kind of a way. I know I could always rely on my DP who is the strongest and most capable person I know - but maybe for that reason I feel driven to be ‘strong and capable’ myself and not take my problems to him.