College relationship. Dear Eric: My younger sister is in her sophomore year at university her school is far from home. She just celebrated her one-year anniversary with her boyfriend same age as her , who she met in her first week in school. I love her boyfriend and support their relationship β he is kind and fun. My sister does not have many close friends, and when she started dating this guy, they latched onto each other quickly and started spending lots of time together.
This has continued all year. They also both have mental health struggles. At one point, my sister was staying with him more often than she was in her dorm for weeks on end. She missed classes to take care of him and even expressed to me that it was really weighing on her.
She has a counselor and overall seems to be well. I recently supported another friend of mine whose relationship started in their first month of college and ended shortly before graduation β their breakup was terrible. What do I do? Hearing it in a non-judgmental way from a person she trusts may help open her eyes. We often need mentors to help us understand how relationships should work. Most of your focus should be on the ways that aspects of the relationship are impacting her mental well-being.
Ask about the panic attacks. Is she discussing them with her counselor? Would it be useful to talk to another mental health professional? Read more Asking Eric and other advice columns. Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at eric askingeric. Box , Philadelphia, PA Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.
Eric Thomas.
