My daughter is treating me very badly, help please

My daughter (47) and I (73 tomorrow) get along very well and lovingly most of the time and I'm always there for her, but whenever I'm emotionally upset or depressed she treats me like shit, by which I mean irrational verbal abuse, withdrawing from me and excluding me from family occasions.

This has happened many times over the years since she was a teenager: I've tried to get her to counselling with me to work out what causes her behaviour but she always has excuses not to be involved.

Following the most recent incident over the phone the night before last I'm waking up crying about it, having trouble getting to sleep, feeling sick in the stomach and generally depressed. She knows I have a heart condition and stress causes me to have angina attacks. I should add that when I'm physically ill (eg heart attack, pneumonia etc) she's totally supportive.

I do love her but am faced with the dilemma of distancing myself, which also means not seeing my grand-daughter. The other grandkids are grown up.

It's my birthday lunch on Sunday and I know she'll do her usual thing of pretending nothing has happened, which only makes me angrier, but if I express that I know she'll just leave and take my grand-daughter with her.

Ideas, please!

Help us keep this site organized and clean. Thanks!
[ Report Post ]
Comments ( 36 )
  • d0esnormalmatter

    Listen, I have no idea what being a parent is like but I do know what it's like to have conflict with mine.

    First off, there's only so much you can do. Its not your fault if shes wayward or rude and you can't expect your family relations to be perfect. I would guess almost all family's have some kinda disputes like this.

    As far as what to do, my suggestion would be a good old fashioned one on one conversation. When my family and extended family have had issues similar to this that tends to work the best, although of course it's not fool proof.

    What I would do is make sure she knows full well how she is making you feel. But don't guilt trip her by making it seem like it's her INTENTION to do that, even if you think she is doing it on purpose.

    So I would say something along the lines of "I know your not trying to and it seems insignificant to you, but the things you've said/done have really affected me in XYZ negative way... "

    If she feels like your accusing her of doing it on purpose the conflict will likely escalate.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
      -
    • Ellenna

      Thank you! I have asked in the past for one on one time with her but it just doesn't happen. She's always "too busy" or "maybe next week" and she's too busy then too.

      Your suggestion about how to express myself to her is a good one and I've already been thinking along these lines myself, but I reckon it'll have to be in an email with a request that she think about it and get back to me, which means I'll almost certainly have to follow that up with another request.

      Comment Hidden ( show )
        -
      • d0esnormalmatter

        Oh no that's tough. If you can't get one on one time that's not a good sign. I don't think email or text would have the same effect because you can't really convey emotion. That's tough.

        Comment Hidden ( show )
  • MissWolf

    Just want to wish you a happy birthday and I apologize about the family. My family is pretty chaotic as well. I hope everything works out for you and I wish you well

    Comment Hidden ( show )
      -
    • Ellenna

      Thank you! My birthday yesterday was very ordinary but I had a great day today: lots of fantastic free fruit & veg from two local foodbanks, met up with lovely friends at the local community centre and then an old friend offered an about to expire mobile phone voucher for $50, so that's one financial worry out of the way for a while.

      Comment Hidden ( show )
  • raisinbran

    Whenever you're emotionally upset or depressed, she gets angry or distances herself. It sounds like you're the one starting the problem, and blaming your daughter.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
      -
    • controversy

      This

      Comment Hidden ( show )
    • LornaMae

      Yeah, you do have a point there... and when people are depressed and have expectations it's hard to deal with the frustration of not having them met...

      Comment Hidden ( show )
        -
      • Ellenna

        In fact I don't have expectations of her being supportive, I've given up on that years ago, so it's nothing to do with frustration about unmet expectations.

        I guess I have to somehow give up any expectation of not being abused when I can least deal with it.

        Comment Hidden ( show )
    • Ellenna

      You're a fuckwit

      Comment Hidden ( show )
    • Ellenna

      So you think it's ok for someone you love and who says she loves you to treat you like shit when you're already emotionally upset? Gee you must be wonderful to be around: such maturity and empathy .... NOT.

      You realise you just attempted to do what she does: kick someone when they're down? Fortunately you're so stupid it didn't affect me.

      Comment Hidden ( show )
        -
      • raisinbran

        I don't see how you being emotionally upset is any different than her being emotionally upset, except that one caused the other.

        Comment Hidden ( show )
          -
        • Ellenna

          You seem to be very dense so I will explain: I was emotionally upset because over the last few months I've been hospitalised with a suspected heart attack (already had one); had hassles with my landlord which could very well result in me being homeless; lost most of my casual work plus more.

          I didn't actually express to her that I was upset, just asked her to do one small thing on the internet for me which would save me $25 a month.

          How does that justify being screamed at? And getting a diatribe about how broke she is too ... yeah right, maybe that would be because I'm on a pension and she's in full time work on a good salary and can afford a gym membership.

          I was not asking for or expecting emotional support from her because I know from past experience that she can't/won't/doesn't ever give me that only to other people, but is almost always fine with practical support, which is what I was asking her for.

          Part of the diatribe I copped was some crap about her not being able to give me any money: I realised much later that in fact she does owe me money from months back, but I'd forgotten about it and wasn't going to ask her for it.

          Comment Hidden ( show )
  • FromTheSouthWeirdMan

    Me and my mother go through the same thing. My mom has health problems and I have HAD to distance myself from her before for my own sake. I dont know your situation good but i can tell you from mine she was always worried what i was doing. I was on drugs bad. She always argued with me and put me down. She told me to kill myself. I tried. She called police. She told them i was at my house going to kill myself. Cops pulled up caught me in the attempt. Went to a mental hospital had to stay for 2 weeks. I didnt talk to mom for months, I was already a mess and talking to her would put me over the edge. And things got way better when i stopped talking to her. Sometimes you have to remove the toxicity from your life for your own sake. You might be able to benefit also from withdrawaling from her a little. Seems like yall have a toxic relationship sometimes like me and my mom.

    As far as the $25 for internet if she has enough money and you dont it is the daughterly thing for her take care of that for her retired mother. But just because you're right in that situation and she's wrong you have to let that go for your own sanity. You can prove to her you're right for your own ego or you can let it go for your own piece of mind. And remember being emotional doesn't give you the right to be mean to her. You cant always make people do what you want them to do. My mom always wants me to do something.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • LifeIsWhatever

    She must not do emotions well.
    But try to sit her down, and talk to her.
    It's family.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
      -
    • Ellenna

      Not only will she not talk about it, she denies it's happening and I cop more abuse for bringing it up.

      She does emotions well except for not being able to behave like a reasonable human being when her ageing ill mother has a rare crisis and is very supportive of anyone else in the world, just not me.

      Comment Hidden ( show )
  • Ellenna

    So what do I do with my anger and the fact that I'm waking up every morning crying and then having an angina attack?

    Comment Hidden ( show )
      -
    • cupcake_wants

      I don't really know. I just know that if you express sadness instead of anger, she will feel with her heart instead of reacting to you with more anger and that is what you want.

      Comment Hidden ( show )
  • cupcake_wants

    Don't express anger towards her, express sadness. Tell her you love her and that it hurts you when she is mean to you. I wouldn't think she would want to cause you harm like this.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
  • dimwitted

    What a shit position to be in. You need a vacation.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
      -
    • Ellenna

      Yep, need one from my own life right now!

      Comment Hidden ( show )
  • LornaMae

    It's hard to understand people's behavior - we never know why they do what they do, but surely there is some inner reason they probably don't undestand either or even see clearly. With my mom (we're similar ages to yours) something like that used to happen but the other way around. Throughout my life she's been tougher on me when I was in a bad place and more giving when I was succeeding. For instance, when I was broke she'd be very stingy and when I was financially stable she'd shower me with expensive presents. When I was depressed she'd passive-aggressively treat me unkindly. Go figure.

    I'm thinking they can't handle their loved ones being in a difficult situation and are unable to respond supportively and accordingly because of their own issues with others' fragility or what they might see as weaknesses. At one point, I just stopped sharing those things with her and not caring. Our relationship is relatively good although it's changed over the years.

    I have no idea if what I'm saying is helpful in any way to you but it's what came to mind while reading your post.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
      -
    • Ellenna

      Thanks. I feel it's up to her to work out why she treats me like this. Whenever I try to talk to her about it, after the crisis is over, she either pretends she doesn't know what I'm talking about or it blows up into another attack.

      I am dreading my family birthday lunch this weekend because she's going to be all loving and nice as if nothing has happened and expect me to go along with that and I don't know if I can, but if I don't she's quite capable of walking out of the restaurant and taking my grand-daughter with her.

      Comment Hidden ( show )
        -
      • LornaMae

        How was the birthday lunch? Did it turn out to be positive? Hope so.

        Comment Hidden ( show )
          -
        • Ellenna

          Thank you for checking in! Yes, it was great and I didn't get home from it until 9.30 last night! After my daughter and beautiful grandchildren headed off I ended up sitting outside near the river with old and new friends chatting and giving support to an old friend who is in dire straits with depression.

          I used to do that a lot but haven't for ages because I've been ill & tired so often and this morning my lungs are affected by the smoke from the fire pit and other smoke from people's cigarettes & joints, but it was worth it.

          Today is looking good: the Monday community lunch is back on after a gap of a few months and my counsellor is back from surgery for an appointment this afternoon. Poor bloke, I had so many crises while he was in hospital it's going to know where to start!

          Comment Hidden ( show )
            -
          • LornaMae

            That sounds lovely, I'm glad you had an enjoyable day! And also that the immediate future is looking good.

            Comment Hidden ( show )
    • LornaMae

      And happy birthday to you! :)

      Comment Hidden ( show )
        -
      • Ellenna

        Thanks, just another day and nobody in my family has called me with birthday wishes.

        Honestly, it's one of those mornings when I was disappointed to wake up and not had another heart attack during the night.

        Comment Hidden ( show )
          -
        • Ellenna

          I did later get happy birthday texts from daughter, grand daughter and grandsons.

          Comment Hidden ( show )
            -
          • LornaMae

            I'm glad you got those texts. Sorry the birthday itself wasn't as good as you hoped. Here's to a good and better new year!

            Comment Hidden ( show )
              -
            • Ellenna

              Thanks! I'm pretty much over birthdays: they just remind me my time is running out

              Comment Hidden ( show )
  • controversy

    Either distance yourself from her, or give her some meds(risperidone calms down aggressive behavior).

    Comment Hidden ( show )
      -
    • Ellenna

      If I distance myself from her I also have to distance myself from my grand daughter. "Give her some meds"? Really? What a stupid suggestion.

      Comment Hidden ( show )
        -
      • controversy

        are u the op?

        Comment Hidden ( show )
          -
        • Ellenna

          Yes

          Comment Hidden ( show )