Thanks for sharing your experience, Donna. I think that it depends on the person how you choose to handle the way others treated you, whether you forgive and forget, or cut them out of your life and move on. It also depends on the people in your life what decision is best for you. At the end of the day, dealing with the symptoms of mental illness, and physical illness, on their own are difficult enough without having to worry about how other people around you will react to your disease. I've found that it's possible to put myself and my recovery first and to be a little selfish without being a bad friend/daughter/etc. You have to find that balance as well.
I don't think it's wrong for you to want to cut unsupportive people out of your life, or at least to limit your interaction with them. Think about heart disease: you have to limit or eliminate certain foods that make your condition worse, the same goes for people and relationships and their impact on your mental and emotional health.
Deltra Coyne
September, 19 2011 at 4:51 am