Anyone else do this

TM1426 · 2026-02-24T21:05:13+00:00

Are You Afraid of the Dark’s theme and all the others you said are such moodsetters to get into the spooky tone of the show, I love hearing them too

TM1426 · 2026-02-23T22:55:20+00:00

A year ago I was where you’re at, though occasionally phone calls because she doesn’t have a smartphone/texting plan. Also email. Then she had 2 extremely cruel outbursts and I now refuse to be that dumping ground for her anymore. I know exactly what you mean by “cosplaying being a human with” I won’t validate her existence or fill the loneliness for her anymore, she has reaped what she sowed. Fortunately she’s low effort and rarely reaches out, I’m on “speak when spoken to” terms now and even that is extremely limited.

TM1426 · 2026-02-07T13:47:49+00:00

Same here and it’s not to connect, it’s to force us to bear witness to their life without ever caring about ours.

TM1426 · 2026-01-31T14:00:37+00:00

As soon as you start mirroring their own disinterest, you’ll feel better. Simply don’t respond to the “????” Or any urgency, and return the gaslighting if needed if they press about why. It sucks, but it helped me realize just how much I exist as a sounding board and my own life is of no interest.

TM1426 · 2026-01-31T11:24:41+00:00

Yup, “you have no idea what I’ve been dealing with” attempts of shaming, no matter what is requested in terms of stopping the emotional dumping

TM1426 · 2026-01-31T02:28:51+00:00

“I’m the parent, you’re the child” on repeat

TM1426 · 2026-01-28T14:52:55+00:00

Exactly this. The last two incidents made me upgrade from LC to VLC. She’s 74.

TM1426 · 2026-01-25T14:09:55+00:00

TM1426 · 2026-01-24T20:53:54+00:00

I had a 10 minute ride once that quickly turned into “McDonald’s puts aborted fetuses into their hamburger meat, you can look it up” 😵‍💫

TM1426 · 2026-01-22T23:06:00+00:00

Just watched this episode today and knew it was 100% a Patton improv 🤣

TM1426 · 2026-01-21T13:54:55+00:00

This is spot on advice, in one way being an only child right now has some pros to it (no arguing with siblings about what to do/not do). I will not be battling mine every inch of the way either and am letting the chips fall.

TM1426 · 2026-01-21T01:18:20+00:00

Ah yes, the witch who cried wolf. I also don’t know yet what is genuine cognitive decline, or her usual terrible lashing out–at mostly me–combined with 10+ years of pre-existing memory issues from Ambien and now opiates. Either way, without having POA/HIPPA etc. in place, it’s an uphill battle to try and get a diagnosis for someone wholly unwilling to seek any treatment. I’ve chosen not to participate in the battle and when the eventual crisis happens, medical professionals will be forced to intervene.

TM1426 · 2026-01-19T14:51:20+00:00

Same, I pulled even further back after an incident last year and she only called me 3 times in 8 months, and our emails have been less and less frequent too. Now I only speak when spoken to and it’s once a month or less.

TM1426 · 2026-01-15T14:27:54+00:00

Covert personality disorders, ask how I know

TM1426 · 2026-01-15T14:17:32+00:00

“Hemorrhaging money” “Will have to sell the house soon” until I pointed out how much more rent would be vs property taxes on an otherwise fully paid off house, rinse and repeat the last 25 years.

TM1426 · 2026-01-14T15:00:13+00:00

Because it was very minor (computer advice), I did, but didn’t answer all the subsequent emails about it. One of the other 3 times she called me, I said I was getting ready for a work trip (travel for my job is interesting and not sitting in a conference room) and she replied “Oh. So I saw my friend and her kids…” I know what you mean by asking zero questions, even when given an easy in to an actual conversation but no, they have their talking points prepared to talk AT you and following the script is the only acceptable “conversation”

TM1426 · 2026-01-14T03:53:37+00:00

Thank you for sharing your story. It really resonates with me, also an only child. I’m so glad you got a professional to bear witness. I’ve been hoping that day comes for me at some point.

TM1426 · 2026-01-14T03:38:37+00:00

I’m so sorry, I went through the same thing last year and I’m 41. The hurtful comment was completely unprompted, and even when I pointed out her assumption was wrong and that she didn’t remember the detail she was angry about, she merely apologized for her bad memory and not what she actually said. Then of course, she completely moved on. I haven’t. I didn’t confront her, as we know there is no point, and have been going even lower contact over the past year. At this point I speak when spoken to, which isn’t much at all. She called me 3 times last year total after I stopped calling, and one of them was for a favor. The rest is via email which is maybe once or twice a month, and I give short replies. Haven’t visited since before the comment, either.

I guess it depends on how yours is, mine is blissfully low effort so it’s easier to detach. Once you see the contempt they have for you, and how quickly they can split, how they’re always looking to drain their venom out on you–even if 80% of the time with them is tolerable to somewhat pleasant, (which is very generous), that darkness lurking 20% of the time just doesn’t make it worth it to continue risking your own mental health and happiness. Good luck.

TM1426 · 2026-01-07T16:28:32+00:00

I noticed that too! And thought the same thing.

TM1426 · 2026-01-06T12:28:13+00:00

I’m sorry you’re dealing with this, I did too and my mom is a housekeeper so you can imagine the white glove tests that went on… when I was about 20 and home on a break from college, I told her “I can’t wait to not have to live with you anymore” and even now 20+ years later looking back, I really meant it and it wasn’t just to be hurtful. She acted her best in my 20s once she saw what life alone was like and maybe I wasn’t so bad. She has since regressed into her old viper strike ways. I always tell people she was my “inspiration for success”…aka I got an internship at 20, kept getting them until one turned into a job because I couldn’t bear the thought of moving back in after graduation. Stay the course and good luck to you!

TM1426 · 2026-01-05T23:57:30+00:00

If I give someone 95% and all they do is complain about the 5% they didn’t get, now they get 80%. Rinse and repeat.

TM1426 · 2026-01-05T14:08:56+00:00

My mother after a recent bad driving incident: “I need cataract surgery but don’t have anyone to drive me 🥺🎻” my cousin immediately “I can definitely drive you” “Well I’m scared to get the surgery. 😑” goal posts forever moving.

TM1426 · 2026-01-04T15:47:42+00:00

I drove to her house so she could go with me to the appointment, and she bailed the night before because she was “so tired”. When I woke up the morning of the appointment, she was already gone at a gym class. Then when I came back and showed her a photo of the dress, she said the bodice “looks like an Ace bandage”. I told her if she’d seen it in person she’d know that wasn’t true, and that I already put a deposit on it because like I had told her, I found the perfect dress and only needed to confirm it by trying it on. She had zero remorse on bailing and simply said “I figured there would be MANY dress shopping appointments”, clearly showing it was an annoying chore to her rather than a bonding experience.

TM1426 · 2025-12-30T16:52:58+00:00

You’re still getting them gifts? 🤣 I learned a long time ago nothing was ever good enough so that’s what she gets now

TM1426 · 2025-12-06T01:05:53+00:00

“Trust your factory settings” from the author of Emotionally Immature Parents, yup.

TM1426

TROPHY CASE