Member-only story
This was originally published on TheVocal.com.au (Fairfax) in 2016
Like many 20-somethings with too much free time, I’ve become addicted to browsing the subreddit r/relationships over the past year. It’s a subreddit where people can post about their relationship problems, and get advice and different perspectives that will hopefully help them deal with their problems in a measured and mature fashion.
I’ve had a rough couple of months. My grandmother, who I was extremely close to, died after a long stint in hospital, and it threw me for a loop. Until now, I’d been fortunate enough to have never lost anyone I was so close to, and the grief completely overwhelmed me. I think my grief overwhelmed my friends, too, and some were just not equipped to help me through it. What this emotionally turbulent period taught me is that people can surprise you: friends you expected to always be there might end up disappointing you, and friends you didn’t expect will step up and support you when you need it.
It also taught me that an outsider’s perspective can be crucial, and that’s what r/relationships is for many. Funnily enough, the unexpected friend I turned to and who ended up being a fantastic source of support is a fellow r/relationships fan, and the advice she gave me was exactly the sort of advice I would have expected from r/relationships commenters.
For those who don’t have a friend who is removed from the situation, or who just want to hear several opinions, r/relationships can be…
