Marissa Ritaa month agoI’ve been married for 4 years, and I’ve known my husband for 10. We lived with his family for 8 years due to housing issues—my single mother’s house was sold and we moved to a smaller place, while my relationship with my family became strained. During that time, I helped with housework and endured constant fighting and pressure to marry quickly. Eventually, we got married, but my relationship with both my family and his family has remained difficult. In the eyes of his family, I’m no more than a maid and a helper in the house. Even our honeymoon was spent with his parents, which says a lot about the situation. To make matters worse, our marriage is sexless. He claims he has no desire for intimacy and only needs emotional love, but he has not been emotionally supportive. I’ve been struggling financially, juggling two jobs—housework and my paid job—and mentally, I feel like I’m getting worse each day. My once optimistic outlook has shifted to occasional suicidal thoughts, mixed with anxiety and depression. (I haven’t sought help because I’m avoiding further judgment.) His relatives, who I was once close with, have started excluding me from birthdays, dinners, and other celebrations. We had an Islamic marriage, and while he’s a good person, he hasn’t been helping me in any way. He’s allowed me to be mistreated by his family over the last 8 years. I’m looking for advice on how to get out of this marriage and improve my life in every aspect. I don’t usually post about personal matters, but I hope someone here can offer me something—anything.159
Marissa RitaMarissa Rita