I'm wondering how everyone that has a family member who has mental health issues, deal with family functions?
Do you go, in spite of the sick feeling & negative energy you are exposed to by your family member?
Do you invite them or extend invitations them (even though you don't want them there) so you don't rock the boat?
What if a parent extends the invitation to them for you, (ex. when you're celebrating your birthday) even though you strictly told them you didn't want them there? Do you just not have any get togethers or birthday celebrations of your own?
This is a major challenge for me, so I would love to hear how everyone handles family functions. I would love to boycott all family things so that I don't have to be around to witness a potential blow-up or be exposed to the nasty comments but then I would let him get the better of me & prevent me from enjoying family. Then again, I usually never enjoy myself being on edge the whole time and wind up going home more stressed & sick to my stomach than anything.
I'm wondering how everyone that has a family member who has mental health issues, deal with family functions?
Do you go, in spite of the sick feeling & negative energy you are exposed to by your family member?
Do you invite them or extend invitations them (even though you don't want them there) so you don't rock the boat?
What if a parent extends the invitation to them for you, (ex. when you're celebrating your birthday) even though you strictly told them you didn't want them there? Do you just not have any get togethers or birthday celebrations of your own?
This is a major challenge for me, so I would love to hear how everyone handles family functions. I would love to boycott all family things so that I don't have to be around to witness a potential blow-up or be exposed to the nasty comments but then I would let him get the better of me & prevent me from enjoying family. Then again, I usually never enjoy myself being on edge the whole time and wind up going home more stressed & sick to my stomach than anything.
