I have serious problems with my mom
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Put some distance between her and you, no forwarding address and don't give her your phone number.
Life is too short to allow negative people to suck the joy out of it.0 -
Sometimes you can't stop criticism, but you can stop letting it get to you. Have a frank chat with your mom and tell her "when you say X, it hurts my feelings. Please stop." Then whenever she says X, just repeat "I asked you not to say that. Please stop." She'll either get the message or she wont but if you don't play the game you may find it easier to deal with.0
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I can honestly say that I struggle with my mother as well. I'm 23 and not dependent on her for anything other than an occasional babysitter. One of my problems was that I talked to her too much about my life and what went on. She's bad enough without extra information, but by telling her all about things, I was only adding fuel to the fire. We also lived VERY close... same apartment complex for a year. It had it's perks, but it caused me to be deeply affected by her behavior because I was around it all the time. I have since moved, and moved on. If she wants to continue living emotionally unhealthy and wants to push her negativity onto others, at least I won't be one of the people that has to deal with it. Now, I invite her over when I want to see her or call her if I want to stop by. The distance helped to put the power back into my hands. When she starts getting out of line, I distance myself again. Over time, if you don't do something about this calmly, if you're anything like me, you run the risk of blowing up on her. In my situation, I feel that she gave birth to me, she took care of me, she has done a lot for me. I don't want to treat her the same way she treats me, even though she's being unfair. I would rather just move on with my life and be happy.
Don't let someone else's negativity bring you down, regardless of who it is. Good luck!0 -
The most important thing you need to realize, is that it's not you, it's HER. Way, way, way too often, parents take out their deep seeded issues on their children (with or without realizing it). I can guarantee that her criticizing you and trash talking you has NOTHING to do with you. (Again, whether she realizes it or not). From birth to death, it should not be our goal to live our lives only to please others. Be yourself, for YOU! Forget what she says, because odds are, you'll nevee make her happy anyway. And that's ok!!!! Make yourself happy!!!!0
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I have cut my mom out of my life for periods of time. You are not obligated to be anyone's punching bag. As for tuning it out. I've found that nearly impossible, because someone that close to you really knows how to get to you. If you can't shut her out altogether, minimize contact, brace yourself for the worst, and have a good friend to vent with afterwards. Mother daughter relationships can be very difficult.0
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I'm so sorry for your loss. Parents and families are a blessing. We all get into fights with our parents and siblings, but at the end of the day you should really forgive and forget and make the most of the time you do have together. My eldest sister left our family over 20 years ago and stopped talking to our parents because of her husband. Her kids grew up without knowing their two aunts, grandparents, and little cousins.
Being a mom myself, I understand now how difficult it is to raise children. We may say things we don't mean, but that doesn't lessen the unconditional love we have for our kids. Have a heart-to-heart with your mom. Tell her how you feel.
I wish you the best and hope you can repair your relationship with your mom before it is too late.0 -
My mom has been the same way over the years. I am her youngest and I never had a great relationship with her growing up. She was never the type of person you could talk to or have a serious conversation with and get the comforting advice like you should get from a mother. If I did have a conversation with her, she would blow it way out of proportion and then blab it to anyone who would listen. I had my first child at 16 and moved out of the house at 19. During my late teens through my mid 20's she was extremely critical of everything I did from how clean my house was to parenting my children. I think in her mind this was her way of supporting me but instead it felt like she was always pointing out what I was doing wrong. She would always drop in without calling first, which I hate, and if she would call and I wasn't home, she would leave a message and then turn around and call my cell. She would do this back and forth starting every hour reducing it little by little until if I ignored it long enough it would get to be a phone call every 5 minutes by the end of that same day. It got to be to the point that I felt like I was being stalked by my own mother. I never said too much about it, out of respect for my elders, until 4 or 5 years ago the flu had run through my house so during that week I didn't talk really to anyone outside my house. My mom couldn't reach me for about 1 or 2 days, because I was sick and she decided to just drop in, which I hate and I finally had had enough and blew up at her. I reamed her up one side and then down another about everything. Let's just say she is very careful about everything she says to me now and about calling before she shows up. I'm not saying that you should blow up at your mother like I did,but you really need to try to tell her that you don't like how she is treating you and that if something doesn't change, it may seriously damage your relationship to the point that you can never repair it.0
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My mother was the same way, but something she said to me when she got older: "The way I was brought up we were taught that the way to get your children to improve was to criticize them."
She was very critical of both me and my brother....my brother is pretty much a recluse, and I have had more therapy than a Hollywood starlet. (Lots of it.)
She can't help it. It was probably the way she was raised. It is probably the way her parents were raised. It is now hardwired.
My best advice: Don't respond. I let her vent and vent and vent and vent..till all the toxicity is out of her, and then I change the subject to Jennifer Aniston or some reality show.0 -
This was me a few months ago since then I have removed her from my life completely and now I am finally able to start loosing weight without any negative comments to bring me crashing back down again :-)0
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Just so you know I have just sent a text to my 2 daughters telling them both something positive. If nothing else you've made me a little bit better of a mother.
Thanks,0 -
My mother does the same thing daily... lol. The best way to deal with it is picture yourself at your goal and know that when you reach it your gonna look way hotter and feel a lot healthier... It always makes me smile0
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If telling her to back off won't work, and it sounds like it won't, I'd cut off contact with her. This sounds quite toxic and abusive!0
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If she is more toxic than loving, distance yourself as much as you need to to be healthy. I had to do that. Sometimes you just need to cut slingload to save yourself.0
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Read the book BOUNDARIES by Henry Cloud and Townsend and start applying them to your life and interactions with her. Be prepared for a strong reaction because people who don't have boundaries and then are given boundaries and consequences for their behavior will howl even more about how you are mistreating them. In the end, they either learn through conversation and consequences or they don't get it and you will have taken control of what you can and the interactions with them and therefore, will be an emotionally healthy person.0
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I have a Mother like that - she is not and does not deserve to be my mum.
I put up with her until i became a mum myself and knew i could not have her round my kids so I upped an moved 300 miles away.
We talk occasionally on the phone - it will be good for a few months and then she will throw a hissy fit as she is not the centre of universe and we stop talking again. She makes all the calls as I've spent 35 years trying to get her to be my mum but no longer have the time or energy to indulge her.
My sister moved over a year ago and I dont think she even knows which town she has moved to or has a phone number as my sister cant stand her.0 -
I feel for you I really do!I would love to be able to tell you to get a grip and stand up for yourself but then I would be a hypocrite,I was an only child and though my mum was a good woman she was also domineering,possessive and jealous,everything I ever did was criticized,from my choice of husband to the amount of children I had,when I left the house when I came back! we moved into our own house eventually and after 4 years she came to live with us,it was a bit better as I was on my own turf so to speak,she was with us 11 years and developed Alzheimer's I looked after her until 5 weeks before she passed!I dont regret doing this but what I do regret is not having told her xxxx off years ago and stop interfering in my life,guilt and a sense of duty stopped me,I was all she had and both of us knew it!!Dont fall into this trap I dont know your situation but from mine Id say put a bit of distance and make your own life! I am at 45 years old finally free!0
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Your mother has left a hole in your heart that needs to be filled.
You're cute; you should find a man who loves you but has a mean streak, so that the puzzle piece fits that hole.0 -
Me and my mother argued alot too, she talked negatively about alot of things I did... And then I moved 1000 miles away. You'd be amazed how much nicer people get when they don't get to see you all the time. I would honestly put some distance between you and her. Then just call her occasionally if you want to have a relation ship with her. If she starts putting you down on the phone, hang up, She'll get the message or won't get to talk to you.0
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The good thing about being a grown child is you can get away. She has no power to stop you. If you choose to stay in contact with her,set very clear boundaries. Say no,in YOUR actions.
Spend time with people who love you,do what makes you feel nourished and feeds your soul.
You are special. Do not listen to what she says or pay any attention.
Do not make her issues yours.
Separate yourself from her. You are your own person.
See all that is good in you. Re affirm all that is positive in your life.
No one,not even her,has the right to make you feel less than whole.
Good luck. Speaking from experience. I know it's harder than it looks.0 -
Relationships of all kinds can be difficult and draining. I encourage you to act and think as an adult; you have the power to decide what things you will and will not except for your life. If there is something or someone that is not in alignment with what you want for your life it’s up to you to make changes. Those changes may be living in your own space, limit the amount of time spent with negative peoples, and putting up boundaries. Lastly if this struggle with your mom is more than you can handle seek outside support; it is up to you to get what you need in this life to be happy, healthy, and have peace of mind. Good Luck….and may positive energy reaches you today.0
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Maybe she's just jealous that she isn't as beautiful as the girl she pushed out of her?0
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I cut off contact with my mother 3 years ago. Too many people say "But they are your family, you have to work it out." Some things are too hurtful to be worked out. She is not going to change who she is, and I am no longer willing to tolerate her behavior. If I would not accept hurtful behavior from a stranger or friend, why do I have to accept it from family?
I am not angry at her, it is just not healthy for us to be in contact. And I am free...0 -
Sometimes it is necessary to turn the tables. My mother would criticize everything I did, said, wore etc. So one day every time she said something negative about what I was doing, I told her I learned from the best. She taught me everything I know. I told her she had me and she raised me. Where else would I have learned these things except from her. It took some time and discipline on my part to remember to say that, but soon she got the message. Now, obviously, there are things that I do that I picked up elsewhere. When I do one of those and we are with other people she will instantly retort that she didn't teach me that.0
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I've had problems with alot of negativity too from all sorts of people. They best thing I've found you can do is get out of the negative place. Just leave if you can, don't talk to the people who bring you down and try not to dwell. Don't rise to it, it's only what they want. Go find happier people to be around (: If you can take as much space as you can from your mum then when you do see each other it'll be a rare occasion and she will hopefully fill the time with good instead of bad.0
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Perhaps you are exaggerating a little to yourself and on here, and maybe you don't want to cut her out completely. I would just greatly reduce the amount of contact you have with her until she straightens out her issues.
This really irritates me. Why because I have a crazy mean mother. She has a good heart but damn she can just really make me so mad and sad. People would say it was not that bad. Well one day she called me cause my shoes..yes shoes were in the way and she could not get in the closet. I put her on speaker so my friend could hear. She could not believe the **** that came out of her mouth. It is not a joke. Some mothers are just down right ugly. Please don't belittle the OP.
Just the other day my mother told me she wished she gave me up for adoption. I am 45 years old. Talk about BS. But I also reminded her that I am the one who will cut you to the core and not worry about what I say. I will no longer take her Emotional Abuse. I have learned to just get up and leave. I have learned that she is so unhappy in her life that she wants to make mine that way too.0 -
Set healthy boundaries and if she can't stop crossing them let her know you need to disconnect. It's crazy hard but if you don't do this you may find that you have a way of drawing people in that treat you poorly. As an adult it is our responsibility to surround ourselves with support and not recreate the dysfunction we grew out of. Also when you are pissed, sad, hurt go take a quick walk or move your body somehow. It is way more empowering than a poor food choice and afterwards you will be building the power to hold your boundaries and the people around you will catch on.
Good luck to you.0 -
ignorance is bliss. Just ignore the *****! She is going to drag you down. Plus, people are always killed by kindness.0
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How old are you? Do you still live at home? And maybe look for a new psychiatrist. if you find you get more from a public forum than a professional...they probably aren't very good.0
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I came a long way when I realized people can never be who we want them to be - they can only be who they are. I can't change someone else. All I can do is change me and how I react to others. If your mom chooses not to support you, that is really sad, but it is who she is. You can't change that. All you can do is focus on you. When she begins with the negative talk, maybe you can just push back your shoulders, look her in the eye and say, "It sounds like you have a lot of hurt and resentment about the way I have lived my life. I am moving forward. I would love if you joined me and supported me, but if you can't, I understand. You were the best mom you could be. I am now trying to be the person I can be. If you continue to talk negatively to me, I am just going to politely end the conversation, hang up or walk away." And then do it.0
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Just be the better person. You know in your heart that you have improved your life. Don't let another person's negativity mold you into anything other than who you are. Even if she's right about anything, you are the one who has to want to change.0
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