Hello, question asker. I'm Evan.
From what you've shared, it seems like your mother may be projecting her anger and hatred onto you, which has left you deeply affected. It's understandable that you feel a mix of sympathy and distance towards her. It's as if you want to be filial to her, but at the same time, you're also trying to stay away from her because of her negative energy. Could this be an accurate reflection of your relationship with her? It seems like these behaviors might be influenced by your mother's upbringing and personality.
It would be interesting to know whether the questioner's mother instilled in her the relevant concepts since childhood, such as the importance of being filial to one's parents, listening to them, and even tolerating their emotions being transferred onto her. These views are all related to the concepts of the traditional era of the past. They may have been right in the parents' era, when they had to work hard just to survive and information was limited, but now, if they continue to follow the past views, they may be out of touch with the times.
It's possible that the mother's anger and hatred towards the questioner may be influenced by the traditional values of the era, which emphasised the importance of maintaining privacy and confidentiality within the family.
It's possible that the way the questioner's mother treats her is influenced by her upbringing in her original family. When children grow up, they are often influenced by their original family and may believe that parents have absolute authority at home.
It is important to recognize that parents may have different motives behind controlling a child's behavior. Some may be driven by a desire for perfection, while others may be influenced by fear. These behaviors may be perceived as normal by parents, but they can often have unintended consequences, including depression and harm to children.
I would like to offer the OP some encouragement and guidance in understanding the mother's motives.
In light of the question being posed on this platform, I would like to offer some straightforward advice to the author.
It would be helpful to identify the controlling behavior of the mother.
It is possible that the mother may have certain expectations of the questioner, but this does not necessarily indicate that she is a controlling person or a negative parent. A parent who is truly controlling will exhibit specific behaviors.
Some of these methods are more overt, while others are more subtle. Control behavior can take many forms, from direct criticism to indirect threats.
It might be helpful to consider that a mother who displays the following signs may have a strong desire for control:
She may also tend to be overly critical of you, particularly in regard to matters that are not of great consequence, such as your appearance, attitude, or the choices you make.
For example, they might say, "If you don't come home right now, I'll be so upset that I'll regret it for the rest of my life!"
It is possible that the mother is using guilt to influence your behaviour. For instance, she might say, "I was in labour for 18 hours to give birth to you, and now you won't even stay with me for a few hours?"
It might be the case that the mother monitors you or does not respect your privacy. This could manifest as her casually going through the contents of your room or secretly reading the text messages on your phone when you're not looking.
It would be beneficial to gain an understanding of the mother's motives in treating the questioner.
Could I perhaps inquire as to why the mother of the questioner treats the questioner in this way? Is it possible that she can only transfer her hatred for others to the questioner, otherwise she doesn't know who to tell these things to? Was the mother also treated this way by the elders in her family when she was a child? When her emotions are suppressed outside the home, she lets down her guard and pours out her grievances when she gets home?
It seems that the mother may have learned a particular approach to communicating with children from her own family of origin. This approach may have become deeply ingrained in her heart, influencing her interactions within her own family.
It may be the case that she only feels able to release her emotions to those close to her when she is at home, as this is her safe place. Otherwise, she may feel that she is unable to express her feelings.
It would be beneficial to try to understand your mother's motives. This could help you to release your emotions, treat her more calmly, and become more composed.
If the questioner can understand the origin of her mother's behavior patterns, it may help her to realize that her mother is continuing these patterns because they were taught by her original family to treat her own children. It's possible that her mother is not aware of her own behavior, but is there anything to be pitied about?
It may be best to avoid confrontation with your mother.
When faced with behavior from your mother that you find inappropriate or controlling, it may be helpful to consider responding in a way that is not confrontational. If your mother's actions make you feel uncomfortable, you can express your feelings to her in a way that is respectful and does not affect communication.
It might be best to avoid confrontation with your mother, as it could potentially lead to further escalation and make it more challenging to find a resolution.
It is not productive to engage in endless arguments with your mother. When your emotions become intense and hurtful, it is best to disengage from the situation rather than engaging in a fight. You can try leaving when the argument escalates and go to a friend or relative's house to stay temporarily.
It would be beneficial to learn how to deal with your mother's behavior.
It seems that the questioner's mother is attempting to exert control over the questioner's behavior and may be projecting negative energy. It is up to the questioner to decide how to respond. Should the questioner allow his mother to control his every word and action?
Perhaps it would be best to face it bravely. In response to your mother's controlling behavior, it would be helpful to learn to control your emotions and maintain a respectful attitude at all times. This is not to make the questioner unfilial to his mother, but to allow the questioner to face some of her controlling behavior more calmly.
It may be helpful to practice speaking in front of a mirror, maintaining a respectful attitude, and behaving appropriately in response to your mother's controlling behavior. You might also find it beneficial to practice responding to various scenarios based on the different responses your mother may make.
This is the only way she can control the situation more easily in actual combat.
It would be beneficial to focus on your own affairs.
I'm not sure if the questioner is currently living independently. If so, she should be able to control her own life and do many things more easily. In order to deal with her mother's controlling behavior, it might be helpful for the questioner to take control of as many things as she can.
For instance, if your mother is sending you negative energy, you might consider doing something else to distract yourself or trying to find out what she is trying to say and bring it up in advance so that you don't have to be exposed to her constant output. It's possible that when you take control of your own life, you may have some arguments with your mother. You might want to try to fight for your own interests and in many cases, you may have to take responsibility for your own choices.
It might be helpful to accept the reality of the situation.
It is important to recognize that the questioner cannot change her mother's behavior or her way of thinking. This is a reality that must be accepted. While neither the questioner nor her mother can control the other's feelings and thoughts, they can choose to change their attitude towards each other. This can, in turn, influence the other person's attitude towards you.
It might be helpful to remember that you can't necessarily expect your mother to change her personality. Whether and when she chooses to do so is up to her. It can be challenging for us to change other people's minds, especially when they don't think they're in the wrong and don't want to change. In such cases, the only person who can truly effect change is the person themselves.
Perhaps it would be helpful to consider ways of strengthening yourself.
Could it be that the mother's actions cause the questioner to feel fear and discomfort because the questioner is not as strong as they could be?
If the questioner is strong enough to escape her mother's influence in everything, might her mother's controlling behavior be less strong? In the face of her mother's controlling behavior, it might be helpful to spend less time with her, rely on her less, set boundaries for yourself and her, and if necessary, seek help from trusted friends as much as possible.
If the mother is controlling the questioner with her words, she could perhaps try telling her how she felt at the time. She might say something like, "I felt that as an independent individual, I didn't have any rights." Or, "I felt that I hadn't grown up yet, that I wasn't an adult, that I was still a child, and that I didn't have any rights."
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It might be helpful to consider setting some boundaries.
It may be helpful to set clear boundaries with your mother and respect each other's boundaries. Agreeing on your mutual personal space and respecting each other could be beneficial. If she is unable to respect this boundary, it may lead to continued controlling behavior, which could make this setting less effective.
If there are issues in your relationship with your mother, you might find it helpful to try some verbal techniques. For example, you could say something like, "I respect your boundaries, but I feel that sometimes my boundaries are not respected by you."
How might we best ensure that our needs are met?
It might be helpful to learn to express your emotions.
It may be helpful to consider ways of releasing the harm caused by the mother's release of negative emotions. It is important to note that this does not imply that the questioner should confront his mother. From a Chinese perspective, this may not align with the expectations of filial piety, and it may not be conducive to maintaining a positive relationship between them in the future.
It is possible that the saying that anger can lead to endless hell may have originated in a Buddhist book. From my personal perspective, it seems that anger can potentially lead to a range of negative behaviors, which in turn could result in significant consequences. It is conceivable that such consequences could be as severe as living in hell.
If the questioner is able to restrain himself and learn how to vent his negative emotions, then I don't think the problem is too significant. An old saying goes: "Filial piety should be judged by deeds, not by the heart." Judging by the heart, no one is perfect. What this means is that when judging someone's filial piety, we should look at their actions, not at their true thoughts. Otherwise, there would be no such thing as filial piety or filial children.
It might be helpful for the questioner to try to release their negative emotions through some sports or hobbies. After releasing their emotions through these activities, their mood will slowly return to calm. It's possible that the mother vents her emotions on the questioner because she doesn't know how to vent her own emotions.
To avoid following in her mother's footsteps, it would be beneficial for the question asker to learn to deal with and release her negative emotions, which would help her to be less affected by her mother.
It might be helpful to consider seeking professional psychological support.
If you are experiencing difficulty in accepting your mother's behavior and feel uncertain about how to communicate with her, you might consider seeking professional psychological support. It may be helpful to connect with a counselor or listener on a psychological platform to express your concerns. These professionals may possess the skills to facilitate more effective communication between you and your mother.
If the school has a psychological counselor, it might be helpful to speak with the teacher as well. They may be able to offer some guidance.
I hope my answer is helpful to the questioner.
Comments
I can relate to how overwhelming those feelings of anger and hatred can be. It's important to acknowledge your pain and the impact your mother had on you. Healing from such deep wounds takes time, and it's okay to feel lost in the process.
It sounds like you've been on a journey to understand and cope with these intense emotions for quite some time. Maybe now is the moment to seek professional help or a support group where you can share your experiences with others who truly understand.
You're doing the hard work by confronting these feelings rather than suppressing them. Perhaps engaging in creative outlets like writing or art could offer a new way to express what words cannot fully capture.
Your efforts to heal through mindfulness and various therapeutic approaches show a lot of strength and resilience. Sometimes, though, we need to allow ourselves to grieve the childhood we wished we had before moving forward.
Recognizing that your anger stems from both external harm and personal coping mechanisms is a huge step. Have you considered speaking directly to your mother if it feels safe? Confrontation might not always be the answer, but communication can sometimes provide closure.