Anger and resentment towards family member

Postby Bauer » Wed Dec 31, 2014 3:42 am

There's a person within my family I can't hardly stand anymore. I just feel like they're a selfish person who doesn't care about anyone but their self.

We were pretty close until a couple months ago, and still talk on a regular basis. The thing is I just feel taken advantage of by them, like they never care how I feel, and take advantage of my good nature. They act like were on some team and are supposed to look out for each other, and that pretty much equaled out to me going out of my way and them never really doing anything out of reach on their end. I started feeling anger and resentment toward them a few months ago, and pretty much stopped doing things for them completely.

Without going too much into detail they did something really petty that they knew would upset me, didn't seem to care, and tried to hide it. They've done some things to really upset me before, but this was final straw. The moment I found that out it made me feel very unimportant to them, and I was beyond furious. I confront them about it and they deny any wrong doing in what they did, and they stayed like this for about a week. When I was finally able to confront them they admitted they were wrong, I completely unloaded all of my anger and every thought I had, in the end they seemed saddened and said they felt bad. The thing is this was a day before a thing they wanted me to go with them, and looking back I think it was probably all a manipulation to get me to go with them.

It's pretty much impossible to talk to this person about problems. There are times when they know they're wrong, deny everything, and dodge around it. Then there's times where you can confront them but they and then say something like "I won't do it again" in a tone like you're supposed to feel sorry for them.

I don't know if they listen at all to anything I confront them about. I'm not at all a short tempered person, and only tell a person some things bothering me after a lot of dealing with it. Usually they'll stop doing something, and then go back to doing it because I'm not constantly talking about it. There's only one bad habit of theirs they stopped doing completely, and of course they always bring it up like it's some kind of accomplishment.

We live in the same house, so there's no way I can get away from them. I just can't stand them any more. There are times where I don't feel anger, and then times where I feel nothing but anger towards this person and I'm tired of it. What can I do about these feelings of anger?
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#1

Postby Richard@DecisionSkills » Wed Dec 31, 2014 2:37 pm

What is the family member doing that significantly impacts your life? If they are not in some way shape or form invading your personal space then live and let live. Don't confront them, let it go. If they are leaving their dirty socks on your bed then that is another story.

Basically, if I accept that living in the same house means you can't get away from them, it then boils down to not worrying about them and doing your own thing unless they are doing something that would have a significant influence (emotional/physical).
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#2

Postby JuliusFawcett » Wed Dec 31, 2014 8:30 pm

Our mental health and physical health are intimately related. May I ask you some questions?

Are you eating the right amount of healthy food? (no junk)
Are you drinking the right amount of healthy drinks? (no alcohol, caffeinated or fizzy)
Are you taking the right amount of healthy exercise?
Are you getting a good balance between work, rest and play?
Are you looking after your personal appearance and your living environment?
Are you able to forgive easily?
Are you grateful to the people who make your life more comfortable?
Are you contributing to your local community?
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#3

Postby Leo Volont » Wed Feb 04, 2015 6:47 am

Bauer wrote:There's a person within my family I can't hardly stand anymore. I just feel like they're a selfish person who doesn't care about anyone but their self…


Dear Mr. Bauer,

Sometimes it is the way we think about things which makes us angry. Now, looking at your situation, the only thing that is really horrible about it, is that you are allowing it all to bother you so much. You can certainly think about it differently, which will change your mood concerning it, and you can handle things differently which will make the situation balance more toward your liking.

Firstly, family is family. Your family member is right when he describes your relationship as being on the same team. You are, aren’t you? Or if you do not recognize family as being in any way special, then who seems to have the best right of being angry with whom? Who is being selfish here, the avowed Team Member or the person who refuses to play? Do you honestly believe that you have no duty toward your family? Well, if such is the case, then it would not be at all surprising if the next Post on this website were from one of your own family members complaining about you.

Yes, I realize that perhaps your family member asks you for favor after favor and you never ask for a thing. It all seems very uneven and unfair to you. Well, Families often live in an economy of giving and asking for favors – it is give and take. Now, yes, it is wonderful that you are so self-sufficient and never really ever need to ask for anything, but maybe if you asked for more from your fellow family member then you would not begrudge it so much when he asks for something from you. Also, if your family member finds that you expect returns on the favors you do for him, well, it might slow him down a bit before he comes to you each and every time he wants something.

So, in short, well, lighten up and be part of the family. Being cordial and giving will put you into a whole better frame of mind than where you are now. Isolate yourself and grow more and more bitter, or become something of a saint. Yes, you have every right to keep to yourself, but the World loves its saints, and, well, we get so few complaints from saints, that we can only suppose that they must be happy.
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