My intro

[R4inyD@yz]

Hi everyone! I'm happy to join this community in hopes of navigating a difficult relationship that's affecting a few important parts of my life.

My husband and I have been together for 8 years and have a 1 year old child. My MIL has an undiagnosed condition that causes her to enter episodes of irrational behaviour and verbal abuse ending up in either deep depression or denial of the events. If severe, it includes threats of self harm. In short, her behavior has included verbally attacking me using my child which was the last straw for me. Husband is of course an enabler out of guilt and fear for her safety. This is luckily my first and only real experience  with a PD person so I am completely lost in navigating the situation and also took me a lot longer to understand what was really happening.

My goal- I want to figure out the best way to navigate this situation gently rather than jumping into no contact without understanding the consequences. I also want to know how to help my husband without stressing him out even more or making it seem like an attack on his family. I can't let our relationship fall apart because of an outsider, but I also can't let my self worth and mental stability deteriorate any longer.

Thank you for taking the time to read my intro!

[Boat Babe]

Hi there RD and welcome. From a quick read of your post I can see that you have got a good head on your shoulders and a good take on the situation with your MIL.

Knowledge is power imo and the more you understand the better you will be. Explore the Out of the FOG website, paying special attention to tools and tips for keeping yourself healthy in an unhealthy situation. This will b we good for your husband too, as you start modelling compassionate and respectful boundaries with MIL. Reading other people's stories on the forum is also highly recommended as you will feel less alone with your problem and learn a great deal.

I have learnt a huge amount here and have  been comforted by total internet strangers who I now regard as fellow travellers. This is a great place. See you around 😁