How to deal with a toxic family?

Moving out of home was the best thing I ever did. Sure, it costs me a lot more, but I am such a happier person. I don't dread going home at the end of the day. I don't make my meals quickly so I can avoid being in common spaces. I don't put my headphones in three times a day to avoid the screaming. I know you said you can't do it right now, but start making plans to do it as soon as possible, and find a way out.

Until then, what I did could work for you, but it's not fool-proof: Humour them. My mom would call me ungrateful and lazy and bitch that she did all the housework. In truth, she's a boarderline hoarder who lets dishes pile up for weeks and lets food go mouldy in the fridge on a regular basis. She eats poptarts and ramen noodles and drinks 2 litres of diet coke a day. I did a lot of the stuff around the house, and I didn't bring it up, I said thank you and please and ignored her when she talked shit about my dad and let her interrupt me because it wasn't worth the argument. Now, you don't need to do those things specifically, but learn to pick your battles. It's not fair. You shouldn't have to put up with it. But sometimes putting up with some crap just works out for you in the end.

I'm sorry you have to deal with that. I get it. I dealt with it for way longer than I should have, and it sucks. The people we love aren't supposed to make us miserable. A home is supposed to be a safe place. A family is supposed to be a source of joy and support. But unfortunately, we don't pick the families we're born with. We do pick the families we create. So find the things that get you through. Stay close to the ones in your life you have positive relationships with. Then, move out, and keep the negative relationships at arms length. See them at holidays, send an occasional update message, but don't let them into the things they can ruin. That's what I do now, and my mom doesn't even seem to notice there's a distance because it was always a one-sided relationship anyway. Then remember all you've learned not to be, and when you start your own family (whether or not that means kids, I just mean the people you will consider your family in the future), treat them with the respect you wish you had. Learn to communicate better than your family can, and learn to show your love better. I promise, you are not doomed to a miserable home life. One day you'll have a new normal and it won't be like living on eggshells. One day you'll wake up next to someone you care about and have worked hard to maintain a healthy relationship with, and you'll thank your family for showing you how important it is to listen and encourage and give and appreciate. I am, at least in part, glad my mom is manipulative and bitter, and I'm glad that she doesn't appreciate what she has, because now I have learned exactly how not to live my life, and I wish I had learned it from a good example, but hey, at least I learned.

Sorry for going on so long, I just really related. Feel free to message me if you ever need to rant about it or anything. On a side note, I did theatre all through high school and still do in some ways, and good for you for being a guy in theatre. There's a whole lot you can gain from the performing arts.

/r/Advice Thread