Alexis Fernandez-Preiksa

maybe because something else happened, but you might not have directly had a disagreement, an argument or anything.

But the fact that they were in a bad mood still meant that you yourself had to walk on eggshells.

You couldn't show that you're having a good time, a nice afternoon, that you were enjoying yourself.

You felt like you needed to retreat away in your bedroom.

And this can still happen at family events where you're there and you think, I need to get the fuck out of here.

Or I need to like, I need to appease them constantly because they're in a foul mood.

I can't, they can't see me be happy because then shit's going to hit the fucking fan.

Number five, just the statement, what will people think?

What will people think?

They are so concerned about what other people will think that instead of ever giving a heartfelt comment to you, saying something about something that you've done with your life or a decision that you're going to make or a decision that you're contemplating about your own life, their response is, what will people think?

And it's often they're basically trying to say, you are a reflection of me.

So you better adhere to my standards of what's good and what's bad and what you should do and what you shouldn't do.

Because if you don't, what will people think?

They care so much about their image and you as part, like a kind of a fragment of their overall image.

And you kind of have to adhere to that.

Number five, when they give you the silent treatment, when they withhold communication as a way of punishing you for trying to set a boundary.

Okay, so if ever you make a comment saying, hey, I just don't like it when you say that, I don't like it when you make a comment like that, or I'd appreciate it if you didn't, then they're like, oh, good.

Yep, fine, fine, fine, fine.

fine.

They might act, well, not even act, like it's so obvious that they're not receptive, but they might verbally say, yeah, cool, fine, fine, fine, fine.