Daughter leaving home

[tricia56]

Hi i havent been on here for a long time but my daughter is moveing out next week to live with her bf and my anxiety has gone thro the roof the past few weeks because of her goung to move out and im scared that my anxiety will get worse and wont cope with her not bieng here as i did depend on her lot

[Carnation]

Hi tricia

I remember you and yes, you've not been on here for ages. I know you must feel anxious about the huge change with your daughter moving out but it might be a positive thing for you. You can still have visits, chats on the phone. And maybe you could use your spare time taking up a hobby.

[Lencoboy]

Hi tricia

I remember you and yes, you've not been on here for ages. I know you must feel anxious about the huge change with your daughter moving out but it might be a positive thing for you. You can still have visits, chats on the phone. And maybe you could use your spare time taking up a hobby.

Yes, it's that 'end of an era' kind of thing.

My mom was admitted to a care home mid-way through 2022 due to severe dementia and while I had mixed emotions about it all at the time, it all worked out for the best in the end.

[tricia56]

Thk you both for replying back to me . My anxirty is thro tbe roof and started to get intrsive thought and they are scareing the life out of me and i keep thinking what if i act on these thoughts and does it mean im suicidal and the can make me do it alnd keep thinking walt if i get emtynest sydrome and it makes my anxiety get worse and get depression. Sorry for long post but ive got no one really to talk to. I suposse im looking for reasurace.

[Darksky]

Both my sons have fled the nest. All little chicks do. My eldest left a few weeks back for the second time.

You are full on catastrophic thinking. Whatifery is running riot. We all do it. Yes you are having intrusive thoughts but the fact that they terrify you makes it extremely that you will act them out.

Your daughter is not disappearing off the planet. You will see her a lot. Both my sons are always popping in, usually to borrow something which never gets returned.

Talk to your daughter, not with pressure to make her stay. Just to say you’re happy for her but you’ll miss her. I’m sure she will reassure you that she will be always nipping back.

Its a step along life’s pathway. We send our children out into the world as happy healthy adults, ready to start their own journey, to write their own story. Which is all we can do.

[fishman65]

'Empty Nest Syndrome' is widely recognised as the inevitable culmination of having children. If we look at the alternative, that our children would stay living with us indefinitely, I doubt there's many of us that would want such a scenario.

However as others have said before me, they'll keep popping back for one reason or another. Unless they're in my family of course, but we're discussing typical families here, not dysfunctional ones.