I had a very poor relationship with my parents when growing up due to their abusive/toxic/controlling behaviour.
I moved to a different country as soon as I could to escape that environment and eventually went no contact.
However family members (who have never had a close relationship with and who I have not seen for 30 years) have constantly tried to ignore my wishes.
About 3 years ago they got hold of my phone number/address and would not stop calling me. I ended up changing my phone number and moving to a completely different town and no one knows my address now.
However today to my dismay one of them, a cousin, followed me on my Instagram account.
I have spent years in therapy and dealing with depression and even suicidal thoughts and dealing with the long term health issues (physical and mental) that my parents' neglect and behaviour caused and any reminder of that family still sends me into a tailspin.
I blocked that person immediately but I cannot come completely off social media as I am self-employed for part of my income and use it as a platform for my work/clients.
All my relatives live in different country so I can't even threaten them with a restraining order...
I want nothing whatsoever to do with these people ever again or hear about my remaining parent (my father died about 8 years ago).
As far as I am concerned they poisoned my childhood and a lot of my adulthood and I have no love whatsoever for any of them. No one supported me when it was obvious there were issues with me when I was a child and although they initially made supportive noises when I disclose my issues with my parents as an adult it soon reverted to suggesting I was making it up.
I wonder if other people have found themselves in that situation and how you have dealt with it?
I almost feel like I have to always live in fear that they will find me/contact me and frankly I am fed up with these people trying to force themselves into the life I worked so hard to build.