Reply to Ghosting an abusive parent as punishment

Forum Index » Family Relationships

Reply to "Ghosting an abusive parent as punishment"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous]I am low-contact with an emotionally abusive mother. As she ages, it gets harder--she's always had a 'helpless victim' complex, and now she sometimes justifiably needs help and it's hard to know where the boundary should be. So I completely get your dilemma. What helps me is to set clear boundaries for myself and stick to them: two visits a year of not more than 3 days, one phone call a week, listening sympathetically (as best I can) to her constant tales of woe but not making it my responsibility to fix things for her. (I realize that doesn't really sound like low-contact, but she would eat up every minute of my life if I let her.) The hardest part for me is that she then inflicts her helplessness on others around her--a elderly sister, her neighbors--and I do feel badly about that. But I know i can't do or be everything to everyone. I do what I can, I ignore the guilt trips, and I remind myself that her misery is hers and doesn't have to be mine. Good luck, OP. I know how hard it is.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics