Me (25M) and my girlfriend (23F) have been dating for four years since college. I took longer to finish my degree because of a falling out in my family that forced me to quit my first bachelor’s program. I’ve always been insecure about being "late" compared to my peers.

I have a degree in design, and while I love what I do, the job market in my field is unstable, and I struggle with imposter syndrome. Now that we both have jobs, I’m starting to realize how important financial stability is. My girlfriend is amazing—smart, kind, and everything I could ask for—but her family isn’t well off. They rent their home, struggle financially, and her father has a drinking problem. I’m proud of her for earning now, but I can’t help but worry about the future.

On my side, my parents are financially well-off, but they have a very toxic relationship. My mom, who has paranoid schizophrenia, is a high-earning teacher, and my dad runs a successful business, but their marriage has been full of serious fights (including physical ones). Growing up in that environment led to me being depressed for a couple of years.

I feel overwhelmed thinking about financial security, family dynamics, and my own uncertainties about the future. I love my girlfriend, but I don’t know how things will turn out, and that scares me. AITA for feeling this way?

TL;DR: Took longer to finish college due to family issues. Now working in an unstable design job while struggling with imposter syndrome. My girlfriend is amazing but comes from a financially struggling family. My own family is well-off but extremely toxic. Feeling overwhelmed about financial stability and the future. AITA for thinking this way?