Skip to main content Skip to bottom nav

Gaslighting myself

User Profile: limegreenGlobe4170
limegreenGlobe4170 February 22nd, 2024

So I’m 27 I just managed to move into my first apartment about two weeks ago. A month before I moved out me and my mother got into an argument, and she took it upon herself to grab my things that I had packed and throw them onto the front porch. She also threatened to call the police on me all because I refused to clean the bathroom that I barely used as I was gone to work from 8 AM to 8 PM M-F. I’m still on the fence about going no contact with her, my father, whom she is still married to, and refuses to divorce even though they hate each other- as well as my older sister. she’s the oldest sibling, a year older than me, but for most of our childhood, she was just an absolute evil, horrible older sister and I can understand that that was caused by our parents but I had sympathy for all our other younger siblings and never treated them like that because I knew they were already treated like that by our parents.


I also want to go no contact with my grandparents that are still alive any uncles on both sides and any other relatives on both sides. I just feel like they knew how insane my father was and how useless my mother was, and did nothing so I honestly want nothing to do with them. 


My father was physically and emotionally and verbally abusive when I was a child and my mother was emotionally and verbally abusive. They were both neglectful. I remember having major health issues that were just completely ignored , as well as my siblings. I remember multiple times being insulted or shamed because I was a heavier girl by my mother, my father and my older sister, too many times to count. I remember an instance where I got a couple F’s and my mom told me to give her my phone and I didn’t want to so my father told me to go to my room and as he told me he pushed me down the stairs (my room that I shared with my sisters was in the basement) and I tripped and fell and sliced my thigh open on one of my sister’s doll houses When I noticed it, I went to the bathroom and kind of started freaking out, and my mom just stood in the doorway, telling me to calm down. That’s one of many instances that happened in my childhood. I just don’t feel I have never felt a mother-daughter connection or a father daughter connection with either of them. We’ve had nice moments but I remember I went away to school for a year and I did not miss them for a single second I just feel like the only thing now that I would need from them if I needed anything at all, was the illusion of having an actual mom and dad.


I only want to have contact with my younger siblings honestly. I feel like I’m being extra by going no contact but at the same time I feel like my parents and older sister have shown me time and time again that they genuinely just don’t like me and some of the things that they’ve done… if you were to do that to a friend or a person that wasn’t related to you they would never speak to you again right after you did it so the fact that I’m 27 and only just now doing this seems kind of insane to me I just Wanna know if anyone thinks I’m being extra or not I don’t know? I’m sorry if this is kinda like a ramble I just really need someone else’s input.

5
User Profile: MidwesternCalmSeeker
MidwesternCalmSeeker February 25th, 2024

@limegreenGlobe4170  

First of all, your feelings are valid. There is nothing extra about feeling sad or frustrated that you didn't feel supported during times that you needed to be. You recognize that you deserve to feel love from your family and that you don't accept it. Taking steps toward a healthy life takes strength, and some people never get to that point when they spend most of their lives hearing they are not enough. I'm so sorry that you weren't hugged and cared for when you got hurt. I know this is only one example from your upbringing that you shared, but I heard your pain in the telling of it. If getting distance from the people who haven't been loving or supportive is what you need to heal, know that you are choosing a step you feel is necessary - those types of decisions are yours to make. I wish you all good things as you create a path toward a healthy and happy lifestyle. 

User Profile: slowdecline48
slowdecline48 February 26th, 2024

With how your story plays out, going no-contact wouldn't be "extra" at all. On the contrary, I'd say it's the barebones requirement for any kind of solution. You are not going to get whatever you need from them.

User Profile: Countrygirl095
Countrygirl095 March 4th, 2024

First off I'm so proud of you and we all do it from time and time again give yourself some grace

User Profile: Countrygirl095
Countrygirl095 March 7th, 2024

@limegreenGlobe4170 your feelings are valid 

User Profile: EmmyMarie06
EmmyMarie06 March 8th, 2024

@limegreenGlobe4170   I'm 17 and live in kind of a similar situation. my step dad is verbally and mentally abusive. throws stuff at us too sometimes so minor physically. my grandma (step dads mom) after his dad died became very abusive. physically, verbally, and emotionally. I have hardly anything to do with her. my mom is sometimes verbally abusive and we aren't even gonna bring up my biological dad. that was abusive on another level. not trying to turn this onto myself. just saying I relate. 

I think you are justified in cutting them out of your life. people like that have done nothing for you other than give you life and the physical necessities in life such as clothes and food. they dont deserve a person like you in their life. not at all. your parents, especially your father, are cruel and have done nothing beneficial for you. although I'm sure you have memories of good moments no matter how rare, small thinks like that might be making this hard for you. 

my mom and step dad got custody of me from my biological dad when I was 7 because not only was he extremely abusive but he also murdered my step mom. my mom didn't know about the abuse till after. my bio dad (Jim) emails my mom annually still saying how he knows (he dosent know) how I want him in my life. (I really don't) and its hard bc although he was extremely abusive I still remember some of the good times. 

if you have any of these, keep them. cherish them. but don't sit and worry about the "what if's" of keeping them in your life. its gonna take a major come to jesus moment for people like that to suddenly make a change. I think your mom has the potential to change though. don't sit and wait for her to change though. I recommend leaving a letter for both parents. saying why your cutting them out. maybe one day a parents will reach out, and have changed. ik as a nearly 30 year old person, who has quite literally lived through he.ll........i think that you think this is reaching for the stars. but idk. hope keeps that spark of wanting to be alive there. 

hope for the best. but prepare for the worst. 

one of the many things I live by. 

I hope everything turns out well. you've got this. life sucks sometimes but those moments when it doesn't...that makes it worth living for. :)