DEAR ABBY: My mother is toxic. She had a terrible childhood, and she takes it out on me and my younger siblings. I live far away; they live in the same town as she does. If they don't drop everything for her and do what she wants, she calls them selfish.
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Because I had to leave town to get my life together, I am accused of "abandoning" her. I am called selfish and also accused of not loving her. A couple of months ago, we all blocked her on social media because she berates us constantly. We told her to get a therapist.
Today, my sister sent me screenshots of Mom berating her again on Facebook. In the texts my sister sent, Mom said she got a psychotherapist who says we are all psychotic.
Abby, why wouldn't the therapist see how delusional and toxic my mother is? Why would a therapist feed her delusions? Where do we go from here? Must I block my mom forever and never talk to her again because her therapist won't help her? -- INCREDULOUS IN CALIFORNIA
DEAR INCREDULOUS: Your mother may have been less than truthful about seeing a therapist. I doubt she has found a licensed mental health professional who would diagnose you and your siblings as suffering from psychosis without having met you. Perhaps the sister who shared the screenshots can tell you what that mental health professional's name is so you can check their credentials.
You left town because you wisely decided to improve your mental health. If you must block your mother and not communicate with her, do not feel guilty for protecting yourself.