Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Parents of adult children

Wondering how to stop worrying about your grown child? Speak to others in our Parents of Adult Children forum.

My mum has cut me off and says I hurt her

96 replies

Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 17:35

So this might be long but I’m all over the place. Some context. Mum is 65 and I’m 39, I’m married with a 6 year old. About 2 months ago my mum just decided to stop talking to me. We used to speak 3-4 times a day, DC would video granny almost daily whilst in the car.

  • As a child my mum was very clear to let me know others were mean to me and disliked me after meeting her (because they’re racist)
  • as a teen and young adult I often didn’t want my mum with me, at my birthday, or party, and she holds it against me forever. Even thought I’ve invited her to numerous things.
  • My mum often told me how she did everything for me and her friends didn’t understand why and she would say how it wasn’t a sacrifice. She would tell me this almost biweekly.
  • she told me everything about her abusive childhood. It was often too much for me to bare.
  • she is a hermit and hoarder, so she doesn’t like to receive anything. She has also cut off mostly everyone in her life.
  • I have Spent my life always simply apologizing to her since it’s easier than dealing with her extreme emotions.
  • she paid for my wedding and had brought that up possibly every month. I do appreciate it, she says it in a way of ‘I’m so glad I was able to do that’
  • she has told me my entire life that I have a bad memory and she had a great memory, so if I didn’t see or recall something her way, it’s because I have a bad memory.

Mum was a single lady with a bad abusive childhood. She was always very emotional I found and she often made the comment that I was always expecting her to have no emotions as a kid. Generally you would say I had a great childhood, she got me everything and despite not having the funds, made sure I was in any program. We did have ups and downs as a teen, I often just wanted to break out, maybe rebel a bit. Reach adulthood I started to travel for work. That did help for me to have space and not be so attached to my mum. I married and moved a 4hour fought away. She often would see things or hear them her way, for instance, I recall when I was pregnant, she was saying that she wish she could come and visit me, and I said to her that it was OK since she saw me in the beginning of my pregnancy, I was really just comforting her. But when she did come to see me by surprise, she kept telling me how I didn’t even care to see her. Another thing is a very different issue for me where she mentioned that I was a very bad hostess to her in my home and she would stay here because I didn’t offer her food enough. For context on that she is not a big eater and I am not either. Since I do speak to her so often, I know that she often spends half of the day not eating and just eats at dinner time. Every day I would make a very big, beautiful elaborate dinner, since I would forget to offer breakfast, she would ask by saying you don’t eat breakfast in this house? And I would immediately make her the toast and crumpets and butter that she likes then a few days of pass she would leave and I would talk to her daily normally in a few days later she would come out crying on the phone about how I made her feel like a beggar for food that I wasn’t preemptively offering her food. I apologized profusely and the next time that she came I thought I did everything right I had food ready before she arrived. I offered her continuously I made breakfast lunch dinner as many times, I asked her in the day if she wanted some thing and yet when she went home, still managed to tell me that I didn’t do it right I matter how much I tried to convince her that I would try to be a better hostess the next time she said no she was not coming back into my house ever again, and the next time she came, I got her a hotel. Now that hotel trip I have to say really felt different. I was almost unemotional to her. It felt so silly to be 10 minutes from my home and she staying at a hotel because I’m such a bad hostess. My child loves her granny and wants to spend every moment with her so I would go in the morning and would stay until the afternoon I brought food I took care of everything on the final day of her hotel stay when I arrive there I realize that I had forgotten my purse entirely. I asked her if we could pass by my house since it’s on the way to the airport just so I could get my purse I don’t want to be driving without a license or my cards. And she said no anyways fast forward a couple of weeks after that last trip I talked to her on the phone and I thought we had a very nice productive conversation where I told her that I really hope that her stay in a hotel is a temporary thing that she has a room here that’s even called Granny’s room. We all referred to as That , and then I will give her her space and all she needs to do is tell me exactly what I need to do to make it better and we hung up for the night seem like a great conversation. I was very pleased fast forward and the next morning I call her as usual after I drop off my child and she tells me that she had the worst night ever couldn’t sleep because I made her have a panic attack about coming back to my house and the abuse that she feels being in my house because I am not a good hostess when it came to food that I was so controlling because I asked her to lower her ringtone on her cell phone at night because she was getting messages all throughout the night and it’s very loud or that I rolled my eyes when she told me she forgot her make up and I said that’s not possible I straightaway went and purchased for her a whole bunch of make up and she said yes, but you rolled your eyes . Now since then she has called me cheap, she’s called my husband and I abusers she has called my husband classless because when people come over we aren’t rushing to offer tea and biscuits 20,000 times a day. And I told her that she’s my mom it’s not that hard to simply do it on her own and I had mentioned to her that when I noticed that she drank a lot of coffee I went and I bought her the exact coffee that she likes that we don’t drink I bought it for her and she said, and you know I never used it , because I didn’t want to use your things. Since then she started seeing a therapist and that has only been feeling her victim hood. I have seen the therapist also and I don’t know how I feel because they are trying to tell me that everything in my childhood as I see it stems from somebody that seems to be a covert narcissist with a murder complex, and I find that hard to understand because she’s somebody who has the lowest self-esteem, she has said that she needs space from me. She has made comments that she loves my child privacy will not have a relationship since she and I don’t have one and she’s made these passive comments that she doesn’t want to mess her up now I am continuously having a struggle some days. I am OK some days I’m crying some days I’m angry some days. I’m guilty. I just don’t know how to feel for the longest time I’ve been trying to figure out what kind of a terrible daughter I am and I started to realize that she has perception that is completely false. I don’t know what I’m asking here but I’m so confused and so hurt and so lost.

OP posts:
Sausagis · 13/06/2023 17:42

Wow, that sounds difficult. I'm sorry your mums like that. It does sound all like her issues and you just trying to meet her unmeetable standards. I hope you can see it's not you, and find a way to not let her affect you emotionally (easier said than done!). While a glib response, it wouldn't be out of order (in my opinion) to say to her that if she sees you as abusive then for her good she won't want to speak to you more. But of course everything's more complicated when it's your mum <hugs>

Maddy70 · 13/06/2023 18:02

Sorry but you both sound high maintenance. Just go with the flow and relax a bit

Lululoop · 13/06/2023 18:02

She's like a woodpecker continuously pecking at you. I bet she wants you to make another grovelling apology. She's acting like a spoilt helpless child with no comprehension of how to communicate like an adult. Sounds exhausting. Your relationship is too intense I think you likely will reconnect as she 'needs' you to make herself feel better by being horrible (her low self esteem) but you need to call her much less just once a week and stop telling her details of your life. Don't ask for her opinions on decisions you are making etc as that encourages her to treat you as a child.

Soupsetscared · 13/06/2023 18:04

Couldn't read it properly. You need to use paragraphs.

QuintanaRoo · 13/06/2023 18:06

Your mum sounds like she has mental health issues to be honest. Maybe you do both need a bit of space from each other and to both carry on with some therapy. While it might be a big shock to you if you stop and think about it…..is it in anyway a relief? Because she sounds like she can be quite controlling and gaslights you.

CurlyQueues · 13/06/2023 18:12

Are you hurt because she's cut you off @Hurtingnlost or because of her general behaviour towards you? Or both?

Narcissists do generally have low self esteem, that's partly why they behave the way they do.

You will never 'win' with her. I say win, but really what I mean is you will never have a normal relationship with her. You willl always be wrong, abusive, controlling, according to her. She is twisting it so that she is the victim. They all do that, their accusations are admissions - they accuse you of doing to them what they are doing to you.

If I were you I'd take this time of having no contact with her to step back and breathe. You need headspace to be able to start to process your lifetime of this abuse.

Look up Dr Ramani on YouTube and Maria Consiglio is also someone who is very knowledgeable about narcissist abuse and behaviour.

Your feelings need to come out, don't try and stop them. You've had a lifetime of this, it'll take a fair bit of unpicking. Was it the same therapist you saw that your mum saw? I would strongly recommend seeing a different one, someone who has knowledge of this type of behaviour, if at all possible.

Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 18:18

She’s actually taking a break from me. That part just boggles me. I feel as if it would be me who’s taking a break, but I just accept her personality.

OP posts:
Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 18:19

She’s actually the one who took a break from me. And when I tried to speak to her a few weeks ago, she had another one of those meltdowns where she’s screaming at me and crying etc. as much as she’s the one who is taking a break from me I’ve been feeling a lot of relief, less guilt over having to make sure she’s OK

OP posts:
Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 18:21

@Sausagis She’s actually taking a break from me. That part just boggles me. I feel as if it would be me who’s taking a break, but I just accept her personality.

OP posts:
Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 18:22

@Lululoop She’s actually the one who took a break from me. And when I tried to speak to her a few weeks ago, she had another one of those meltdowns where she’s screaming at me and crying etc. as much as she’s the one who is taking a break from me I’ve been feeling a lot of relief, less guilt over having to make sure she’s OK

OP posts:
Arewehumanorarewecupboards · 13/06/2023 18:22

Maybe her therapist advised her to take a break as it would be good for both of you.

Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 18:23

@Maddy70 easier said than done. One is willing to and the other isn’t

OP posts:
Tippingadvice · 13/06/2023 18:23

@Hurtingnlost you are locked in a cycle and need to break it. You don’t have a poor memory she is gaslighting you. Go grey rock - look at Stately Homes threads.

OnsenBurner · 13/06/2023 18:23

Take this chance to reframe your relationship

Sausagis · 13/06/2023 18:24

See how it goes? As in if you can enjoy the break (and try not to give her any headspace) then maybe when she wants contact you'll be able to say no.

TheCheeseTray · 13/06/2023 18:25

Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 18:18

She’s actually taking a break from me. That part just boggles me. I feel as if it would be me who’s taking a break, but I just accept her personality.

My father is most definitely a narcissist and an abuser (physically, mentally, emotionally and financially). He has spoken to me for about 2 1/2 years when I put in boundaries and said no. I have attempted to have a relationship without letting him do or say whatever he wants. He tried to split my DC into golden child and scapegoat and was livid when they distanced themselves and put in boundaries. So he refuses to speak to us -he's 85. I refuse to have a relationship without boundaries and he can't do it.

If you put in boundaries very often a narc can't cope -hence the silence he wants me to phone and apologise for asking him not to swear at the children etc

Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 18:25

@QuintanaRoo she’s taking space from me as she said. It’s hurtful because I’m unable to tell her how I feel at all, she goes into a frenzy and screams, cries, tells me it’s all my bad memory. Therapy has helped me, but I still feel as if I’ve hurt her and I don’t want to be a reason for her pain. I must admit that I find infuriating that she’s seeing a therapist in regards to what she says is abuse from me versus seeing a therapist in regards to all of her childhood abuse.

OP posts:
QuintanaRoo · 13/06/2023 18:27

Chances are she’s taking a break from you because on a subconscious level she wants to punish you, wants to hurt you, wants you to feel bad and beg her to return to your life. She wants to hold that power over you….that maybe she will begrudgingly agree to return to you as long as you promise to be a better daughter.

which is all bullshit and part of the control cycle. Personally I wouldn’t give her any attention.

Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 18:28

@CurlyQueues we are not seeing the same therapist we don’t live near each other. I think everything is hurting me because I feel as if I believe that she’s in pain because I think that she believes herself, and I kind of feel that I am mourning many things at once. The loss of my mother, a bit of anger, because she refuses to self reflect car. Also sadness because my child misses her so much and I honestly don’t feel as if that would even end up a healthy relationship seeing how she could do this to me. I am also hurt because since we live so far apart seems ridiculous to me that she is picking any possible fight with me

OP posts:
Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 18:30

@Tippingadvice I actually did go gray rock with her, and I don’t think that she really noticed, but within a month she cut me out of her life

OP posts:
Eyesopenwideawake · 13/06/2023 18:30

There's a simple truth: hurt people hurt people.

Your mother had a dreadful childhood and her way of coping with that is to lash out at the people closest to her. All you can do is break that generational trauma with your own daughter and stop concerning yourself with what your mother says and does. She's not your responsibility.

Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 18:31

@QuintanaRoo the logical side of my brain who is reading what I wrote. I understand that this is super unhealthy even her taking this break and cutting me off. It’s all just complete nonsense and her doing the same thing to me as she has done to almost everybody in her life. But the other side of me I just don’t know how to turn off that sense of guilt.

OP posts:
Flowersun6 · 13/06/2023 18:32

My GOD OP..... I haven't read all your posts.

Why are you speaking to your mum 4x a day? Visiting morning till noon? It's all TOO much.

ArcticSkewer · 13/06/2023 18:32

I'd suggest that, as a mother, you focus on your new responsibilities towards your daughter and prioritise her rather than your mum.

Is it really healthy for her to be in close contact with someone this manipulative and unstable? It's up to you to keep her safe from people like that, not build them up in their minds as a loving safe person.

Your mum cut contact? Good. Keep going to therapy.

Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 18:33

@TheCheeseTray that does sound like a lot! And I think you are completely right and what you’re requesting. I don’t see my mom as that bad hence why it’s hard.

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread