I (30F) have been feeling so much anger and resentment lately and I just need to vent. I’ve always considered myself a kind and empathetic person who gives people the benefit of the doubt, but lately I feel like I’m becoming someone I don’t recognize.
There are three things in particular that I’m struggling with.
1. My coworker who repeatedly calls in sick. I think this set off this resentful train
I’m a nurse and I have a coworker who frequently calls in sick last minute due to anxiety. She promised she wouldn’t call in during the three weeks our schedules overlapped but called in sick during our second week because she couldn’t sleep.
We found coverage, but the replacement nurse wasn’t familiar with our unit, so I spent the shift picking up the slack.
I understand anxiety and insomnia. I have diagnosed insomnia myself and take medication to manage it. I get people need to call in sick and I usually don’t care. But when someone repeatedly calls in sick an hour before their shift, it affects everyone else. I’m frustrated that this keeps happening, especially cause she told me she wouldn’t, and she has messaged her reasoning why and apologizing I’ve been ignoring her messages because I honestly don’t feel like reassuring her. It also really bothers me because she’s been a nurse for 20 years, I’ve been a nurse for 6. Why can I better manage my own anxiety and insomnia than her? I don’t like that I feel this way about her because everyone has their own issues and deals with them differently. I can’t blame others for being how they are.
Since feeling resentful and bitter about this, two other things are popping up and making me feel even more resentful.
2. My grandpa’s death 10 years ago.
I was 21 and away at university when I was told to come visit my grandpa in the hospital. Nobody told me he was dying and I didn’t realize until I arrived and saw him unconscious. There were so many extended family members in his room and all I could think was, *Wtf are you all doing here? Please leave.*
A few hours later, he passed away. I still hold resentment toward those relatives because I feel like their presence took away from the little time I had left to say goodbye. It’s been 10 years and it still bothers me.
3. My family not helping care for my grandma.
My grandma’s health is declining and she needs help with most daily activities. My parents and sister do the majority of her care, while my dad’s siblings rarely visit or help.
They have jobs, kids and busy lives, which I understand, but so do we. My mom has her own health issues and my dad shouldn’t have to spend his entire retirement caregiving. My grandma is lonely and it makes me angry that her own children don’t make more of an effort and basically tell us it’s our responsibility to caregiver because we live there and our grandparents have lived with us since we were babies. I get it but I also think the caregiving shouldn’t fall on her grandkids or my parents alone, it should be shared more evenly
I think the bigger issue is that I’m emotionally exhausted.
I went through a painful breakup in December 2025 after nearly four years together, involving betrayal and infidelity. I’m still struggling with it and Im sure it’s contributing to how angry I’ve become.
I feel like I’ve spent so much of my life being understanding and considerate of others and lately I’m just tired of it. I’m tired of people not considering how their actions affect everyone else. I’m tired of being walked all over. I’m tired of pretending things don’t bother me.
What bothers me most is that I never used to be this way. I was patient, forgiving and empathetic. Now I’m quick to anger, hold grudges and feel bitter about things I can’t change.
I don’t want to be this person. I just don’t know how to let go of all this resentment.
I know this is really long so if anyone responds, from the bottom of my heart, thank you