Some people are toxic for us and it is better to avoid or minimize contact. A christmas card once a year can be a good way to stay in contact. or not.
I also recommend, the Dance of Anger, by Lerner. sometimes we need to speak up and address the toxic behavior. For one hypothetical example – ” I feel hurt when you make fun of my ADD. I would like you to stop. If you do it again, i am going to break off contact for a week to heal. and the next time, it will be two weeks. and the next time three. and so on. I will miss you, but the ridicule is damaging to me, and I plan to minimize my exposure.”
They will probably test you to see if you mean it; don’t say it unless you mean to follo thru. But what if you are married to them or otherwise intimately connected? Then I suggest you consider counseling, preferably together, and give some hard thinking to why you are staying in that relationship.
best wishes, doug
doug
It’s not all roses.
denise’s discussion clik
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/05/technology/a-multitasking-video-game-makes-old-brains-act-younger.html?ref=us
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