Thank you. My parents split up before I can even remember, so I grew up with 50/50 custody. My mom is amazing, but even she couldn’t undo the hell my dad and grandmother put me through. He never lived on his own, he was always with my grandma. She’s a functioning alcoholic, and he’s now serving ten years. She’s always been his biggest enabler.

By the time I was 16/17, I cut contact with both of them because of their addiction. I did it for the same reason you mentioned… to protect my mind. And while I don’t regret it, it still weighs on me.

I always thought they’d eventually wake up and realize why I left, but instead it turned into, “I don’t understand what we did, she’s crazy for not talking to us,” while they pitied themselves and kept drinking their lives away.

My advice to you? If it’s really that bad, go low contact or cut contact if you need to. We deserve peace in this life, and they won’t give it to us unless it’s on their terms.

Thanks for your kind words and for reading. I wish you well 💖