As part of looking after my mental health recently, I've had to back off in talking to a certain family member. It was becoming crazymaking. I have concerns for that individual's mental health but there's little I can do.
I've tried to be a compassionate listener, but they need more ears than just mine. I understand how difficult some of us -- well, me at least -- with mental/emotional issues can become at times. So I try not to lay all my "stuff" on the same individual repeatedly. Well, that was happening, only I was on the receiving end, and it got too heavy.
This is a loss in a way, and I feel sad about it. I care about this person; they are family. Although things between us haven't always been easy, and we don't have a lot in common, we did have some pretty good times.
For quite a while I felt really angry, almost ready to boot the person out of my life, but I still want some sort of relationship. They've already alienated two others in the family with their words and behaviour, which seems to be getting more extreme with time. There's no point in suggesting professional help; they think counseling and medicine are more harmful than helpful,
So I've resolved to reduce my exposure to them, meaning fewer phone calls, if any, and fewer one-on-one visits, if any, for the foreseeable future. Visiting in a group may be okay, but that has been problematic in the past too, So, I'm basically trying to detach with love, before I really get resentful and say a bunch of stuff I can't take back. Wish me luck!
I've tried to be a compassionate listener, but they need more ears than just mine. I understand how difficult some of us -- well, me at least -- with mental/emotional issues can become at times. So I try not to lay all my "stuff" on the same individual repeatedly. Well, that was happening, only I was on the receiving end, and it got too heavy.
This is a loss in a way, and I feel sad about it. I care about this person; they are family. Although things between us haven't always been easy, and we don't have a lot in common, we did have some pretty good times.
For quite a while I felt really angry, almost ready to boot the person out of my life, but I still want some sort of relationship. They've already alienated two others in the family with their words and behaviour, which seems to be getting more extreme with time. There's no point in suggesting professional help; they think counseling and medicine are more harmful than helpful,
So I've resolved to reduce my exposure to them, meaning fewer phone calls, if any, and fewer one-on-one visits, if any, for the foreseeable future. Visiting in a group may be okay, but that has been problematic in the past too, So, I'm basically trying to detach with love, before I really get resentful and say a bunch of stuff I can't take back. Wish me luck!
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