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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

How do I change family dynamics?

1 reply

breakingthebank · 25/01/2015 10:59

Over the last 2 years I've been on a bit of a journey of realisation that I am surrounded by people that expect me to meet their needs with a total disregard for my feelings or thoughts. These people are my dh, parents and sibling. Examples would be that parents expected me to drive a 20 mile round trip while they were on holiday to feed their cat who I am allergic to. I did refuse but as I didn't want to upset them I organised an alternative cat feeder first. My dh ensures he gets to lie in every weekend while I get up with baby (even if I've been up multiple times and been at work all week).

As this relationship dynamic has been all I've known, I have allowed this to happen and suffered years of depression, which I've blamed myself for just like I blame myself for everything. The result of my upbringing is that I'm a real people pleaser, take responsibility for everyone else's feelings and I'm reluctant to express any negative emotions because I anticipate conflict which makes me really anxious. I want to change this but I'm not sure if I can. If I tell my parents or my dh that I'm not happy with their actions and say what I need, this is either mocked (parents) or just ignored (dh) and things carry on as they always have.

OP posts:
pdxs · 25/01/2015 13:47

Sorry to hear about this... I think it is very common with certain families (mine included)
is it possible that the conflict you anticipate is worse than the reaction you would get if you said no?

I think reading up in boundaries would strengthen your resolve, then you can start making the decision to say no sometimes to bring things to a more even keel
stick to your guns and you should be able to re balance things

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