I've also found it very isolating, liking a form of person that few others seemed to like, and wanting to see more of that person. I first started to notice that I was attracted to larger women when places like this and Dimensions were in their infancy, in the mid/late 90's, and it really helped, at the very least, to have a forum for like-minded people. Knowing it wasn't just me was a big help.

And I can't speak for everyone, but time seems to have at least partially remedied the dilemma for me. Many of my friends from high school have gained some weight in the last ten years (I would go so far as to say most of them have,) and in doing so, I think everyone is a bit more tolerant of my weight than they might have been a few years ago. Tolerance for the fetish has risen along with people's weight, and I'm pretty sure some of my friends have developed into feeders themselves. As for family...well, that's a bit trickier.

And I totally agree with Dr.F; yeah, it sucks being a gainer with nobody around to help you gain or to encourage you, but if I didn't have this preference, I'd be a totally different person. We are shaped by our negative experiences just as much as we are by positive experiences. Now, I'm not saying that an abundance of misery is good for the soul, just that some of the more difficult things in life can, if endured, be some of the most rewarding.

The best advice I can give is to not despair; talk to people here, many of us have been through similar experiences, and if nothing else, can chew over old war wounds with you.