it's like the opposite for me.  i have a loving family. i have a loving boyfriend of more than 10 years. we are gay so no kids or marriage.  but despite all of that, i feel so empty. i feel my life is about meeting other people's expectations. i have and work to maintain a career that i don't even like.  i daydream what it would feel like to be completely alone - no partner, no family. if there was no one to expect anything from me, i could just quit this job i hate as a software developer and just work at target or something. i could live in a basic apartment and be content watching tv and eating the food i like. i could move anywhere i want whenever i want.  but instead i'm trapped. relationships are double edged swords because they take away the loneliness but make you feel like you're in a prison.
United States