Family can possibly be the best source of happiness of an individual. A family may either be related by blood or from a group of persons who are there for you in good or bad times. Aside from parents and siblings, we can also consider some friends as family. We can also consider our partner as a family since they give us comfort and protection in times of need.
Continue reading “Family Issues: Dealing With An Abusive Husband”
Being in the marriage counseling business for many years taught me that women often served as glue in various households. When the man fails to do his part, the woman steps up and does the job. If the husband gets caught having an extramarital affair, the wife often forgives him and gives him as many chances as possible. That’s especially true if the couple has kids that they want to keep from having a broken family.
The thing is, statistics show that more women file for divorce compared to men. A few of my male clients who have experienced that come to me to ask why. Some even said, “I know I mess up all the time, but I want to change. Why can’t she wait for that?”
Well, I can think of many mental health-related reasons for that, such as:
You Have Exhausted Her Love
Regardless of how loving and patient you believe women can be, they are far from being saints. You may not always see it, but every awful thing you do chips away at their patience. Though they are smiling and enabling you on the outside, deep inside, they may be saying, “Go on and do everything you want now. When I get enough of your crap, we’re done for good.”
And that’s what genuinely happens when a man exhausts a woman’s love. Try not to be fooled if you gain their forgiveness quickly after one or three times. Your wife was kind to do that, but she was also observing what you would do with that kindness. The more you act nastily, the less her love for you becomes.
You Are Beyond Redemption
Some men with vices refuse to admit that they need to change anything about themselves. They insist that nothing is wrong, that all their drinking, gambling, or smoking habits somehow help them become better. However, no one else believes their alibis, especially not their wives, who look after them when they’re passed out.
If a woman leaves you in that state, it entails that you are already beyond redemption in her eyes. Nothing she could do or say would be able to save you. You can’t call her selfish, considering she has put up with you for years.
You Can’t Fool Her Anymore
My aunt is a perfect example of those martyr wives who remained with their cheating husbands no matter how many times they’ve learned about the latter’s sexcapades. It started with her husband’s secretary five years after their wedding. She let him be without confronting the man, thinking that he would get over her immediately. My aunt only called it quits when she realized that the mistress was already pregnant.
You see, a woman can merely be fooled if they let you fool them. Martyrs turn a blind eye on your mistakes while hoping that you will change. Getting someone else pregnant is a pretty done deal, so it’s not surprising if they want to end things with you because of that.
You Don’t Make Her Feel Safe
Messed-up guys sometimes say derogatory words with or without alcohol in their system. The problem is, they usually think nothing of it and act as if the woman was just dramatic when they seem to hurt. Worse, when the wife gets hit, the man expects her to forgive him, claiming that it’s merely his messed-up brain doing it.
In truth, physical and verbal types of abuse are deal breakers for a lot of women. You can cheat on them for as many times as you want, but hitting or demeaning them is different. When you no longer make them feel safe, they will undoubtedly leave you, even when you apologize repeatedly.
Your Wife Found A Better Man
Assuming your wife has always needed to take care of your sorry butt, it’s not impossible for them to look for another man who will want to take care of them. Some people call such women as flirty or homewrecker, but you may have broken your family first. She’s just making it official by divorcing you and moving on with a better man.
In that case, there’s no reason to fight the inevitable. You can’t do anything to win your wife back.
Final Thoughts
When a woman leaves you, try not to think that it is because she’s an ice queen or a slut or gold digger. Instead, look at yourself in the mirror and find out what qualities you have that are worth staying for. If you have a stable job and are an excellent provider and lover, you can question her decision. But if you are a drunkard, jobless, and mean husband, you should accept that she deserves a better life than what you can give.
Move on and give her a peace of mind then by signing the divorce papers. You will all be better for it.
Are you one of the couples who had to cancel their vacation plans because of the COVID-19 pandemic? Even if you and your husband want to hop on the next flight, it will not be safe to do so. Your travel plans should be best on hold while there is a risk of infecting yourselves and your loved ones with the virus.
Dr. John Denninger M.D., Ph.D., says “Travel is a great thing to appreciate, to remind yourself that not everyone has the opportunity to do this. That appreciation has been demonstrated to be positive for mood and mental health.”
However, there is still a way for you to explore the world while staying safe at home. Below are some movies which and your husband can enjoy to travel to various places and experience different cities. Enjoy!
Eat Pray Love
Travel To: India, Italy, and Indonesia
Eat Pray Love is a book turned film starring Julia Roberts. Aside from enjoying three beautiful and diverse locations, the movie will inspire you to leap of faith to try new things.
The film is about an unhappy married woman who decided to leave everything behind and find herself. In pursuit of building herself again, she was able to enjoy good food, find inner peace, and meet new and exciting people. This film is not only visually appealing but also uplifting to the soul.
Before Sunrise
Travel To: Vienna, Austria
One of the best things about traveling is meeting new people. Before Sunrise is a movie about two characters, who met on the train, and these characters then spent the rest of the evening together.
The characters got to know each other while walking and exploring the city of Vienna. It is not a surprise how the two characters fall in love while surrounded by the beautiful scenery of the place. If you are a romantic and love the idea of perfect chemistry and travel, try and watch this film.
Lost In Translation
Travel To: Japan
Lost in Translation stars Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray. Past his superstar prime, Bob goes to Japan to shoot for a commercial. On the other hand, Charlotte is the wife of a photographer who is often left alone to explore Japan.
Set in the busy city of Tokyo, both characters were lost and found a companion in each other while discovering the culture of Japan. Watch the entire film and see how these characters survived to be in a foreign country.
Crazy Rich Asians
Travel To: Singapore
When you do not have a spending limit, imagine where and what money can buy you. Crazy Rich Asians is also a book turned movie that features the lifestyle of Singapore’s most elite.
The story revolves around how a simple girl found out and tried to survive in his boyfriend’s wealthy family. Get first-hand experience on how the rich spend their money as they enjoy yachts, luxurious beach trips, and parties. Explore Singapore in a new light while falling in love.
The Proposal
Travel To: Alaska
The Proposal is an unconventional love story. Usually, people fall in love with one another, get engaged, and eventually, get married. These events also happened for Andrew Paxton and Margaret Tate- only in a different order. Andrew is Margaret’s secretary.
Unfortunately, she is about to be deported. To avoid this mishap and in exchange for a promotion, Margaret forced Andrew into an engagement. The “couple” traveled to Alaska to meet Andrew’s family and eventually fell in love.
Mamma Mia!
Travel To: Greece
Who doesn’t want good music and movie? Set in the majestic beauty of Greece, Mamma Mia is a musical featuring the songs of Abba. Sophie Sheridan, played by Amanda Seyfried, is bride-to-be hoping to meet her birth father before she gets married.
She decided to invite three of her suspected men to her wedding, surprising her mother, played by Meryl Streep. Watch the full movie and enjoy the music, the laughter, and the love the characters exhibited throughout the story.
Traveling with your significant other gives you new opportunities to get to know them better. While you are waiting for the outdoors to be safe, try satisfying your urge to travel by watching these movies. You might want to consider some of their movie locations on your second honeymoon.
Instead of feeling stuck at home, go travel the world with your husband through your screens, and stay safe!
As countries respond to the Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 with a community lockdown, men, women, and children lie susceptible to abuse. This lockdown buys the government time and slows down the spread of COVID-19, but some households aren’t as safe as we thought. Several countries over the world discovered an unfortunate upward trend in domestic violence.
What’s Happening During The Lockdown?
As adults stress over the consequences and preventive measures of COVID, unemployment and tight budgets also meet them at the threshold of the lockdown. Since companies are laying off employees, it causes an added emotional and mental stress. With stressors piling left and right, physical escape for both victims and abusers is impossible. With this, people tend to lash out in the most inconsiderable ways. BetterHelp psychologists also explain how the loss of a job or stress at work triggers abuse at home. Lacking power at work, they feel the urge to exert dominance in isolation with their victims.
Experts also predict an increase in child sexual abuse, trafficking, and exploitation. Marginalized families with breadwinners laid off from work find alternatives to earn a living, even when such means are too derogatory. Another scenario the lockdown paints for children is a loss of a parent or guardian. This effect may be COVID-related or domestic abuse as orphans find ways to sustain their families. Operations for child protection and welfare organizations have also ceased, leaving the children to fend for themselves in their homes.
The United Nations reports a double increase in the calls received by help hotlines dedicated to abuse. In the United Kingdom, help hotlines for victims rise to 700%, according to an abuse charity. Meanwhile, a hotline aimed towards helping abusers rose to 25% during the start of lockdown in the country.
These reported cases reflect the adverse effects of the lockdown. Imagine the cases of those going undetected. While the lockdown does not create violent partners, experts express how the lockdown serves as an opportunity for these abusive behaviors to surface.
How Can We Help Combat This Locked-In Crisis?
Human Rights organizations urge governments to also give attention to women, men, and children who need protection. No government was ready for the pandemic. However, governments have been aware of the domestic violence cases long before COVID-19. Yet, they treat this maltreatment and abuse with reactive solutions yet again. Some governments have not left victims with sufficient provisions. The government should still be held accountable for addressing the plight of over 10 million people at risk of domestic abuse.
Even with written laws going against violence against women and children and domestic abuse, individual groups continue to fight against violence. Even with the lockdown, women, and children protection agencies and charities, along with human rights, organizations found ways to connect and hopefully save lives.
With a lengthened lockdown, situations may worsen unless the government intervenes in helping victims abandon isolation. A more optimistic solution is to help abusers come into the light of changing their behavior. Counselors from charities may help regulate an abuser’s emotions, keep their mental health at bay, and reach out to victims with trauma.
A happy and healthy mind and body are partners in stabilizing our moods, emotions, and mental well-being. Abusers may be our loved ones. If you think you can still reasonably communicate with an abuser, you can help with these simple steps:
As people distance themselves from other people physically, it is essential to stay emotionally connected to them. With the use of the internet and communication technologies, we can reach out to our loved ones. By catching up with friends, students, and family, we can also find if there is something wrong going on.
Who can function properly when they don’t have enough sleep? Extreme sleep deprivation increases hallucinations and mental instability. Although we might have more time to stay up late on the internet, there’s only so much our bodies can handle.
Exercising and meditation techniques help a person improve mindfulness. In turn, mindfulness brings about stable control of one’s thoughts and emotions. Mindfulness is necessary for everybody to manage stress efficiently.
See to it that your loved ones and students are eating healthy food. The body needs sustenance to perform tasks and think clearly and logically. Don’t skip meals if you can afford it.
In hindsight, domestic violence has been raging pandemic, which worsened with the lockdown. Governments and private organizations should work hand in hand in also prioritizing the welfare of people inside their homes. By looking out for each other, improved health, emotional and mental stability, and staying connected to friends or a help hotline may save us in such a time of coronavirus.
In this day and age, women are already considered equal to men in almost all aspects. Women are now exercising their rights to vote, to get a degree and to earn money for themselves. Fact is that a considerable percentage of the working population is composed of women, in which some are leaders in their respective fields of specialization. Despite this achievement, there are some issues underneath that oppose women’s success, one of which is economic or financial abuse.
In a separate view, economic abuse happens when women (some instances, also the men) are made to compromise with the situations they are into despite their capability to earn money. This type of manipulation and repression is not discussed because of shame and the thought that problems involving money are very sensitive. But how can one identify that such abuse is endured?
“There are many types of toxic relationships such as a controlling or manipulative, negative, self-centered or narcissistic, dishonest, insecure, abusive, blaming or demanding and competitive, and secretive, and dramatic.” – Catherine Jackson, a licensed clinical psychologist and neurotherapist
Below are some clear signs:
No Choice Career-Wise
Women have no choice but to forget the career they wanted and compromise with the one that is available and convenient for the partner or spouse. Some may have full-time jobs, but in the end, they are forced to resign since their spouse or partner is not in favor of it.
Every Penny Tracked
In this situation, every cent handled by the woman is computed and tracked. If something went off with the accounting, emotional or physical abuse would follow.
No Accounts
Women experiencing economic abuse don’t have their own personal bank balances, debit cards, credit cards, or any other form of financial account. The woman here is left entirely dependent on her partner who has the sole control of the household finances.
Threats
Darlene Lancer, JD, LMFT said, “Power exists in all relationships. Having power means to have a sense of control, to have choices and the ability to influence our environment and others.” When a man threatens a woman to leave her and cut off his financial obligations with her, it is a sign of economic abuse. This form of intimidation pushes a woman to be vulnerable and to be in total control by the man.
The Lazy Bum and The Slave Worker
The woman, in this situation, is the one who is working and is the breadwinner of the family, but she has no control over her salary since the man is doing it for her. She is striving to provide for the family, and the man spends the money she earns. The woman is also forced to work overtime and even take more jobs to cover their needs, pay their bills and of course, her partner’s luxury.
Family Obligation
The woman or wife is always pregnant. Child-bearing and rearing will keep her from work, and compel her to become entirely dependent on her partner or husband.
How to Overcome This Situation
Leave Him. If things are unbearable and abusive, you must leave him. Plan it out carefully. Relationships like this are not worth keeping. As Jason B. Whiting, Ph.D., LMFT explains, “For many women, the safest choice is to just leave. As the brave women in our study shared, by finding courage and seeking out support from loved ones, victims of intimate partner violence can break free of abuse and build a life of dignity and safety.”
Reach out. Get help from your family, friends, and people close to you. Tell them what is happening so that you have support for when you decide to leave your partner or husband. If it does not help you much, try contacting online psychologists. (BetterHelp is a fantastic source of such professionals.)
Secure Your Education. To start with your new life, take a new venture. Enroll in an online school or finish the degree of your choice through a college or university.
Save Up. Save money whenever you get the chance. Once you’ve ascertained that your cash on hand is enough, you can make your exit.
Get A Job. Find a decent-paying job that you like to do. Keep it low key, though. As they say, let your success be the noise.
Establish Credit. Apply for a credit account and have it safeguarded in loved ones or a friend’s house.
Research. Research how you can get help from the government with your situation. You will need their assistance until such time you are finally able to stand on your feet again.
Someone who is in an abusive relationship will most definitely be depressed, distressed, anxious, sleepless or insomniac, and will manifest physical problems. It is also highly likely that your self-esteem is injured as you receive abuse, be it verbal, physical, financial, emotional or mental. This state of mind is never healthy and hearing all the time that you are a “loser,” “disgusting,” “fat,” “stupid,” and other hurtful words can lead you to doubt your worth.
“Being in an abusive relationship is incredibly confusing, and multiple myths about abuse can make it difficult to identify when it happens to you.” Brandy Parris, MA, LMHC said. You may have experienced such emotional and mental damage, and for some, it is challenging to overcome. But yes, it can be surpassed, with proper care and persistence to getting better.
5 Steps To Reclaiming Your Self-Esteem
Step 1 – You Must Include Positive Assertions About Yourself Every Day.
Some people read empowering passages or a quote of self-esteem every morning as they wake up. These assertions are encouraging statements that you can read and say to yourself over and over again to remind you of your worth. You can put the quote by your bedside, on your dresser, refrigerator door, bathroom mirror, your diary, and in any other place.
For example, you can say to yourself repeatedly – I AM BEAUTIFUL. I AM WORTHY OF LOVE. I AM RESPECTABLE. I AM FULL OF DIGNITY. I DESERVE ALL THE GOOD THINGS. I AM A GOOD PERSON.
Step 2 – The Most Effective Way To Gain Back Your Self-Esteem Is To Love Yourself.
“Self-love is not simply a state of feeling good. It is a state of appreciation for oneself that grows from actions that support our physical, psychological and spiritual growth.” Deborah Khoshaba Psy.D. said. Take care of your body, mind, and heart. You may be fragile now, and it will stay that way if you don’t do something about it. It is a must to repel negative thoughts and feed your mind and heart with only right beliefs.
As for your body, you have to eat healthy foods daily. Rest at least 8 hours at night and if you can, exercise at least 30 minutes each day. You must also have regular checkups with your doctor to prevent the onset of physical illnesses.
Another way to love yourself is by engaging in fun and stimulating activities like writing, listening to music, reading self-help books, and the likes. Some love it when they are pampering themselves in a way like putting on makeup, doing their nails, soaking in a bubble bath, aromatherapy at home and more.
As for other people, you need to establish boundaries. What attitudes and acts offend you most? You must never allow others to overstep those boundaries again. It will be a challenge especially since your self-esteem is still low and recovering, but you have to put your foot forward. In time, you will be able to nourish your self-worth.
Step 3 – Find Support From Family, Friends, And Mental Health Professionals.
It is possible that your abusive partner or spouse “commanded” you to stay away from your family, friends, or to anybody who attempts to care for your emotional well-being. Well, this is the time to repair that connection and rebuild yourself. “If you have had significant issues around trust, safety, or stability in relationships previously, I think it’s important for people to have other sources of support outside of their partner(s). This support can come in various forms such as friends, family members, clergy, and even a therapist.” Jor-El Caraballo, LMHC said. Abusers are used to doing that because they have a hold on their partners or spouses, and in return, there is a dependence on the abuser.
Well, reach out to your loved ones right now and tell them what happened to you. You can also join religious groups for soul enrichment. It is also beneficial to speak with a counselor or therapist specializing in abused people so you can successfully restore yourself. If all else fails, you may talk to online psychologists from platforms like BetterHelp.
Step 4 – Avoid Abusive Relationships In The Future.
You have to see the red flags for yourself and decide not to get into a relationship with this type of person. There are warnings signs to know that your partner is abusive – short temper, excessively jealous, control freak, stalking types, and many more. If your feelings are hurt, if you are physically hurt, and if you don’t feel safe due to your partner’s behavior, then you are abused. Avoid it.
Step 5 – Be Brave Enough To Move On.
Separating from an abuser is tricky. Some women submit after a few weeks and go back to their abusive life cycle. You just have to be brave enough to leave him (or her) out of your life from now on. Plan your life well and if you need help doing that, get that assistance. You have a chance at a new life. You must take it.
Physical abuse is the act of inflicting pain on another person which then results in minor or major injury or injuries. In relationships, it starts out with pushing, pulling or grabbing, something not too violent at first. It then escalates to slapping, punching, or kicking the other person. If the abused won’t do something about it, it will worsen over time.
Often, this is the case, especially in domestic settings. By law all over the world, hurting someone physically is a human rights violation. Thus, if you have been physically abused, here’s what you have to do:
Signs Of Physically-Abused Persons
Being afraid of your partner or spouse
“Many women came to a breaking point when the fear and the pain simply became overwhelming,” Jason B. Whiting, Ph.D., LMFT said. Since you already have that fear in you, you tend to avoid things and topics that might trigger your partner’s anger. As a result, you are too careful to the extent that your mental state is near paranoia. Walking on eggshells is the best way to describe your state.
Everything is just wrong. An abused person has this mentality that everything they do is wrong. You will lose your confidence, and you seem to live in distress all the time that you will fail your partner or spouse.
Kinds Of Physical Abuse
“Examples of physical abuse are behaviors like pushing, shouting over you, screaming in your face, physically taking things away from your grip, grabbing you tightly, squeezing, pinching, hitting, slapping, punching, biting, kicking, shoving, forced sexual contact, restraining, and destroying your property,” –Christine Scott-Hudson, MA MFT ATR
Scratching. Inflicting harm on someone with the use of fingers, causing scratch marks and even wounds on any part of the body.
Biting. Causing wounds on any part of the body with the use of teeth.
Slapping. This means hitting the injured party with the use of a forceful hand, usually on the face.
Kicking
Choking. Putting hard pressure on the injured party’s throat which causes difficulty in breathing.
Throwing. Getting things and tossing them around. This act can facilitate in hitting the offended party and cause physical injury.
Food Deprivation. The abuser is not giving or allowing the abused party food to eat.
Forced-Feeding. Forcing the injured party to eat.
Using Deadly Materials. Threatening the injured party with the use of materials that can cause harm.
Physical Restraining. Examples of this act are pinning against the wall, bed or floor.
Reckless Driving. Putting the injured party’s life at risk by driving dangerously to put fear on the person is a sign of abuse.
The Aftermath Of Abuse
The Blame Game
The abuser would reason out that you triggered the anger in him and it leads to the “situation.” Some would even reason out and attribute their behavior due to alcohol or drugs.
“I Am So Sorry, I Promise…”
After the attack, most abusers feel guilty for what they have done. They will apologize and promise not to do it again. The apology may be genuine, but you have to remember the following:
What to Do When Abuse Takes Place
“It can be hard to talk about abuse, as nobody wants to think of themselves as a victim.” Nicole Tammelleo, LCSW-R said. But once abused or if you believe that you are a victim of abuse, it is advisable that you should report the incident at once to the authorities. If you can’t do that, tell someone like your friends and family so that they can help you. Support groups and services are very much willing to assist the victims when it comes to intervention and mental health healing. Upon receiving a distress call, they would act on it at once to save the victim from further abuse.
In case you need a quick help, though, you may try contacting BetterHelp. An online psychologist is always prepared to accommodate and talk you through everything.
Falling in love is one of the most anticipated moments of almost every person on this planet – the romantic bliss, butterflies in the stomach, rapid heartbeat, and sparkly eyes. At some point, we all dreamed of having someone to spend the Valentine’s Day with, someone to greet on every special occasion, and someone to share every laugh and heartbreak. But at least for a while. All these feelings tend to lessen over time.
Why do relationships end? Why do love and happiness fade? Why does something that was once great turn into hate or merely nothing?
What Is A Seven-Year Itch?
It is the term used to indicate that when couples reach their seventh year together, happiness and excitement, if not lost, start to fade. They have grown tired of the situation, and their minds begin to wonder what could be waiting outside of the relationship. As Marie Manly, PhD explains, “There are many types of toxic relationships such as a controlling or manipulative, negative, self-centered or narcissistic, dishonest, insecure, abusive, blaming or demanding and competitive, and secretive, and dramatic,”
What Factors Can Trigger ASeven-Year Itch?
It is also the end of all exciting developmental milestones of the children, so during this time, parents would feel a significant change of being thrilled to become more subtle.
How Can We Avoid A Seven-Year Itch?
We also should be able to tell our partners our disappointments and pains regardless of who caused them, or especially if they’re the reason behind them. They should know that they have done something that hurt us, so they can have the opportunity to apologize and make up for it. Sometimes, some people are insensitive that they are not aware of the things that are happening around them. “Give yourself time to heal. We can be harder on ourselves than on any other person. Realize that fully overcoming the issues you had to face during your relationship may take time, and that’s OKAY.” Heather Edwards LMHC, NCC, BCC advises.
Also, respect your partner’s decision. Never decide for him even though you think you are mostly right. You can talk it out, explain your thoughts, but never insist. You may be right, but that doesn’t mean his feelings aren’t valid. Learn to respect that.
“Think about the old “seven year itch” and how the fact that even in times when marriage was deemed to be more sacred than it is now, a husband’s inclinations toward being unfaithful after a period of marriage was so pronounced that it merited its own name.” says Katrina Bilhimer, Ma, LMHC. Maybe a seven-year itch is just a term used when happiness and excitement weaken a relationship. It doesn’t necessarily mean that this will happen during the seventh year. It can happen on the first, third, or fifth. It may even occur later or never if we just know how to be in a relationship.
We are all humans. We are bound to make mistakes and be selfish sometimes, and a seven-year itch is just another bump in the road that mostly happens in 2,555 days of a relationship. It’s either you decide to go through it together or go on separate ways.
There are several reasons for unsuccessful marriages, and it’s seldom about the in-laws. Most of us learned to be independent at an early age, especially when we have a family of our own. Only a few have to deal with their in-laws. How does it feel like for people who have to? What if you have no choice but to deal with the original Mrs. Robinson, but you just can’t get along? What should you do to not compromise your marriage with the issues surrounding you and your in-laws?
Justin and I have been married for six years, and we have three beautiful kids. His parents have been helping us ever since because it wasn’t a good start for us. I got pregnant when we were 17, and we had no idea how to be adults, let alone to be parents.
Justin’s mom and dad have been helping us financially, but his mom has a say in every decision in our family. For six years now, I feel like I’m developing depression because I always have negative thoughts on how insensitive they are. I feel worthless and disrespected.
Two years ago, my husband’s parents separated, and we had to move in with his mom which I hated. Don’t get me wrong! She’s a sweet woman and all, but she’s just too intrusive and hands-on about everything, and I feel like she’s going way past her boundaries, or am I not in the position to feel this way?
She’s treating my husband like he was still a kid, her kid. I don’t know if it’s a bad thing that I hate it, but I do! There were times when we were talking about personal matters and giggling, and then his mom would butt in and ask, “Why?”
She sets rules for my kids which I find annoying. There was a time I told my son he could watch TV after he finishes his chores, but my son told me he’s grounded. Grounded! “Who grounded you?” I asked angrily. “Grandma did,” he replied. He said his grandma grounded him for causing everyone delay because he moves very slow.
I don’t know, and I don’t want to weigh the situation anymore, but I hate the feeling that she disregards my decisions when it comes to my kids. I don’t just sit around and wait for every meal. I work hard to help somehow raise my children financially, and I just find it so unfair that they let me feel this way, that I’m nothing! They don’t respect my right as a mother, as an individual!
Jor-El Caraballo, LMHC said, “If you have had significant issues around trust, safety, or stability in relationships previously, I think it’s important for people to have other sources of support outside of their partner(s). This support can come in various forms such as friends, family members, clergy, and even a therapist.” So I went to see a therapist because I don’t know how I’m going to deal with my emotions. I understand that I hate her so much, and It’s not just because of the single incident but the continuous feeling of being disrespected and disregarded. I’m on my second session, but there are a few things I realized. I don’t know if I’m the only one experiencing this, but somehow, I want to share my experience. Maybe it could bring light to someone’s troubled mind who is in the same situation as I am.
Keep In Mind That:
Silently fighting over whose power is higher between a mother-in-law and a daughter-in-law is a never-ending emotional abuse. There’s always going to be psychological warfare especially when you’re living together. A wife has a right and obligation to speak up about anything that’s making her uncomfortable, and the husband must protect her wellbeing. That very much includes her feelings and emotions. “Give yourself time to heal. We can be harder on ourselves than on any other person. Realize that fully overcoming the issues you had to face during your relationship may take time, and that’s OKAY.” Heather Edwards LMHC, NCC, BCC said.
