Struggling with Critical Parents and Future Worries - As-salamu alaykum
As-salamu alaykum everyone, I’m a 25-year-old American woman raised by Middle Eastern parents in the traditional way. My parents expect me to stay at home until marriage, and culturally I can’t move out on my own. I’m nowhere near ready to get married right now, but that also means I feel stuck. I’ve been working as an x-ray tech for two years, yet I can’t seem to save anything because a big chunk of my biweekly paycheck goes toward paying the household “rent.” I worry I’ll never be able to buy a car or be financially independent. I also have PCOS, so I need regular doctor visits, and I struggle with anxiety that requires therapy covered by my job insurance. These health costs make saving even harder. My dad frequently puts me down - calls me fat and says I’m incapable. It’s frustrating because I do my job well; if I’m tired or seem lazy at home, it’s because I’m exhausted after a demanding shift. I have trust in Allah, but it’s really hard living like this. I feel behind my peers and honestly I don’t feel confident about running a household in the future because I’m so worn out and I don’t have much practice cooking or managing everything. I’m constantly overwhelmed and anxious about how I’ll cope later on. Any practical advice, duas, or encouragement from sisters and brothers who understand this kind of family dynamic would mean a lot. JazakAllahu khair.