Feel drained by family and prefer to spend time with friends/hobbies

[JaneFondue]

Didn't know where to put this. Anyway, the back story is that as a family, we have had a hard time in the last few years. Serious illness, a relocation, and some other stuff. DC are young adults in uni and first jobs, and living at home, not by choice because rents are so high. One of them has poor mental health and is very hard work. DH has a very stressful job himself but can't find another at the moment as over 55.

TLDR: I find all of them very draining and exhausting, and I much prefer to spend my time with my very few friends or doing hobbies. I seem to find surface relationships much easier than deep ones, probably because my friends don't talk to me about their problems or expect me to solve them. I know many MNers only want to spend time with their families, but I don't. Feel guilty about it though.

Sounds normal to me.

Is it? I see so many posters here saying they never want to see anyone or do anything outside their homes, and are happy just with their families because everyone else is draining.. I find socialising with complete strangers in my hobby clubs much easier and less draining.

Sounds normal to me too. Temporary escapism from 'real life'.

Nobody wants to spend all their time in situations, or around people who drain them so having things to do and people to see who aren't connected to the glum stuff is a good thing.

thanks for the responses. Yes, I think I have fallen into the role of "fixer" which is partly my own fault. I am trying to draw better boundaries but in the meantime, I want to escape as often as I can.