To ask those of you who’ve had to go through something really difficult on your own, did it change how you relate to people afterwards?

[QuietCoinsNina]

As in, did it shift how much you trust, how you reach out for support or how you view friendships/relationships in general?

Yes. It's made me not automatically 100% trust what someone says without proof. I saw a friend behaving in a way that reminded me of the person who put me and my family through something difficult so I ended my friendship with her. I view these as both a curse and a blessing as on one hand it's made it much more difficult to establish new friendships but on the other hand it's taught me not to be so bloody naive and to stand up for what's right rather than brush things under the carpet because they're my friend and I don't want to rock the boat.

I’ve certainly found men a massive disappointment - even ones I hugely trusted

Yes I’m much more guarded and watchful now. I’m more aware of how vulnerabilities attract certain types of people who enjoy and benefit from other people’s vulnerabilities.