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Elderly relatives who are lonely but are impossible

(77 Posts)
OnwardandUpward Thu 03-Nov-22 08:37:06

You know they're lonely because of all the "poor me stories", but when you spend time with them ALL they talk about is how bad your siblings are or their kids. (criticising which restaurant they were taken to or kind things that were done for them, having NOTHING good to say about their Grandkids...or anyone for that matter) It's sad but they clearly compete with their grandkids for their kids time.

You know that your siblings did their best, juggling small children AND these empty pits of self despair. You know there are other grandparents who would LOVE time with their kids and grandkids AT ALL. You know that whatever you do for them, you'll be cannon fodder to be slandered and abused next because anything you do for these people is never enough.

I feel like they will never be happy with anything ANYONE does for them because THEY ARE NOT HAPPY in themselves and until they find peace and self love, it all feels like a big waste of time. Maybe they will never change. It's all so negative and soul destroying that I am LC. My siblings are also LC. Our mental health needs protecting.

OnwardandUpward Tue 15-Nov-22 12:14:43

So sorry to hear about your colleague @LRavenscroft. I suspect this person was always internally like that, but able to keep up a front when young- that slipped as an older person. beentheregotout.com/what-happens-to-narcissists-as-they-grow-old/

It's sad isn't it. We have to feel sorry for them and accept that they can't change. As my therapist would say "You can't change other people, but you can only change how you deal with them".

Other people tend to judge on their own standards, but we need to remember that not everyone has the same standards. We can be kind and good and taken advantage of and cruelly abused- and those elderly narcs can still continue their campaign of hate, recruiting people to abuse us and pile undeserved hatred on us further, as they always have done.

Sad. I have had much therapy. I know it was never ever about me.