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Alcohol dependent father, emotionally unstable mother

User Profile: raspberryHead
raspberryHead July 11th, 2021

My parents are 70 and 63, they've been married for 33 years. I recently moved back in with them because I worry about them, and want to support them financially and in whatever other ways I can help. It also works out better financially for our family to live together. Moving out is not an option. I'm 29 but asexual and aromantic, I have no desire to go meet someone and "start a family of my own". My parents are my priority and I care for and love them deeply. But living with them has magnified their flaws tenfold. And I'm not saying I'm without flaws. My whole childhood my parents have always been fighting because of my mother's insecurities and stories she makes up in her head, her jealousy and her bad temper. She has struck my father a few times as well in her rage. She would also spank me for talking back at her, until my backside was blue. She would then have me show my blue backside to house guests to show them how naughty I was. The humiliation infuriated me. During fights with my father she would sometimes also just take off, get in the car and leave. One time she did this I tried phoning her and asked her to come back. She told me she didn't want to live anymore. I was 8 at the time. Because of this fear I had of her leaving, I slept in their bed from little until I was 10 or 11. She treats my father badly and talks down to him, she'll be bitter and cruel, and if he just once snaps back with the same attitude then she uses that as justification for why she talks to him like crap. She's quick to point fingers at everyone else but never acknowledges her doing or part in the problem. She loves me fiercely but she also is very self-centered and stubborn, and has a bad attitude when you confront her on her narcissistic traits. Loves playing the victim. My father has an alcohol dependency priblem but will never admit it. No matter how many family fights there have been because of it. He isn't violent, we just don't like it when he gets drunk. But despite all the turmoil caused by alcohol, he refuses to acknowledge his dependency on alcohol. I mean he will drink anything he can find that has alcohol in it, even if he doesn't actually like the taste. So many drunk holidays, Christmasses, birthdays, etc. He thinks it doesn't matter that he has too much to drink, in fact he denies having too much to drink. But somehow it always has and still does upset me. I hate it when he's drunk. He also has a short temper but has never hit me or my mother. He just gets angry at himself and sometimes us for stupid, petty things. I think he's having difficulty accepting that he is getting older. But we clash on many opinions, especially when he starts saying racist or sexist things and I call him out on it. I'm always the a-hole then, who is just going against him to spite him (in his mind). He doesn't believe the things or facts I tell him, but he'll believe it or anything else for that matter when it comes from other, less reputable people. I resent them. I don't ever want to be like them. And I feel guilty for feeling this way about them. A part of me thinks that I'll find peace and relief one day when they're gone, though I know their deaths will devastate me so I don't wish for that day. I feel like a bad daughter for even thinking this way. I don't know if you'd call what I have separation anxiety combined with trust issues and childhood trauma. I know many others have it worse. How do I cope with my situation?

2
July 12th, 2021

I don't have advice, but I do relate a ton. So, I'd like to share in hopes you'll feel less alone. My mom is 71 and I don't live with her, but I did just move her from one state to another as a step towards retirement. So, for the past 2 months, I've been staying with her a lot. She's kind of like both your parents rolled into one. She drinks even though it causes blood clots and makes me want to run away from her. It's like your dad. She's not aggressive or anything when drunk, but she does cause issues and doesn't remember them. When she isn't drinking, it's either my fault for preventing her from drinking. I get called controlling and everything else for just giving my opinion when she asks for it. It's gotten to the point where I don't care about the clots anymore. I'm done arguing with a grown woman. But then she gets mad at me for not saying anything about the beer. I can't win. She also talks down to me, takes out her anger in front of me to excess. Like, yeah, we all get a little bad and have to vent. But 24 hours of slamming things because you forgot to put your pants with the rest of the wash isn't healthy and it triggers my PTSD from other bad relationships. So, I get away from her, but that's a problem because she thinks I'm just trying to punish her. She didn't spank me, but she did hit me and she expected me to hit her back to "snap her out of it." I won't even get started on how that effected my future relationships. She tells me she doesn't want to live all the time. She usually says it when I'm suicidal, though. So, I'm pretty sure it's just to get the attention on her. Like you, I have no desire to start a family and I'm not without my flaws either. I wish I knew what to do to help her without losing my mental health. I feel like I'm abandoning her. The guilt of feeling like a bad daughter is crippling. And I don't know about you, but I keep looking for resources and there aren't any. Anyways, I could go on, but that's not the point. I see you and I feel your story. You're not alone. ❤

User Profile: raspberryHead
raspberryHead OP July 12th, 2021

Thank you for sharing your story. I'm sorry that you're going through all of that. It sounds like an equally frustrating and hopeless situation. I can't really find any resources either. I'm in counselling because I'd like to learn to better deal with my situation but truthfully it doesn't feel like it's helping with that. I'm so tired of it all. I guess you're feeling just about the same. I hope something will change for you, for the better ❤

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