I (26f) really was. I have diagnosed BPD, OCD, PTSD and depression, so a bowl of mental disorder alphabet soup. I was struggling hard, and making the people I love struggle, too. A couple of really traumatic things happened to my family and I in the past three years, but I won’t go into them. Just know we needed a break. Let me say I love my parents. They are not the reason for my disorder; it was due to circumstances out of anyone’s control.

But thanks to my wonderful fiancé (formerly boyfriend of 7 years), I was enrolled in an intensive therapy program that transformed my life. I can honor my emotions while not letting them overtake me, I stay calm in stressful situations and comfort others, and I’m overall...happy and stable. I still get anxious or down, but the people in my life say the difference is day and night. I’m about to finish grad school in a year, I’m looking for a house with my fiancé, and I have a good job in my field. I’m doing well.

Or at least...I was doing well. Until I found out my dad has cancer.

I’m taking care of my dad and my mom, and I’m just scared. They thankfully caught it early, so he should live. But his quality of life may be greatly diminished. He started treatment recently and will be moving in with me and my fiancé as soon as he starts to get weaker. I’m happy to have him, but I don’t like the idea of my mom being alone. I offered for her to come up too, but she has to stay with the dogs.

As for my social life, my extroversion has turned into reclusiveness. I’ve been splitting on my friends badly. Because I know it has nothing to do with them, my brilliant solution has been to completely ignore them. I’m worried I’m going to hurt them, so I’ve let them know I’m not feeling too well and I just need some time to myself. But the way I feel now I don’t want to see anyone ever again. And I’m worried all my progress is gone.