Dear Coleen

I’VE BEEN with my partner for several years. Last year, he got a new job and I noticed his attitude change a bit, which I know was down to him trying to fit in with his new colleagues.

Then a few months ago, I suffered a depressive episode and a miscarriage. I was acting out of character, crying and having a lot of panic attacks, and generally wasn’t myself.

Thankfully, I got help and I’m feeling a lot better now.

At the time my partner was lovely and supportive. But recently, after a few drinks, he started laughing and revealed to me that I have a horrible nickname where he works.

He’d told his colleagues about my situation and they cracked jokes about it. One of them asked if he was buying me a straitjacket for Christmas. My partner found this hilarious.

Since then I’ve felt very hurt. I don’t care about the guys making jokes, as I don’t care what they think. What bothers me is my partner finding it all so funny and joking along with them. If it were me, I wouldn’t have laughed and would have defended him. This was an extremely difficult time for me.

I told him how I felt and his reply was that I was being “too sensitive” and needed to get a sense of humour.

I don’t understand how he could be supportive and understanding at the time and then laugh at me behind my back afterwards.

To top it all off, he proposed over the holidays.

I said yes because I love him but this is still at the back of my mind and I’m not sure what to do.