How to Get Started?

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lovedance4ever

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I think it’s pretty safe to say that many of you already know my story. The house I live in is a double. In the lower level, I live with my parents and a close friend of the family; our friend does not really have much money, and she has some physical disabilities, so we took her in about 16 years ago when I was only 4. She has been a wonderful companion for me, and we are super close - however, we only have a two bedroom home, so she has to sleep on a bed in our dining room.

Upstairs is my aunt’s apartment. And it wouldn’t be much of a problem if she didn’t spend most of her time in OUR place. She has an explosive temper, and we never know what will set her off. I hate lying, but over the past five years, I have made up stories about my life to keep her at bay - she never keeps her opinions to herself, always tells my parents how to raise me (even though I am now legally an adult), and is constantly criticizing me for whatever I do. One time, she got so angry at me for something and was screaming so badly at me, that I had to lock myself in the bathroom while she pounded on the door demanding I come out. I was 15 at the time.

We never get a moment’s peace, because if we try to watch a movie, she will come down and talk through it. She hardly ever makes her own meals, as she is always eating with us. If I need to confide something in my parents, I have to do it fast before she comes down and sticks her nose in it. My parents almost never tell her to mind her business. They just let it happen. I know it bothers my father, and he gets very angry with her, but because she is my mother’s sister, he feels like he is walking on egg shells.

My mom has been through a lot in her life; she went through cancer two years ago, and the treatment took a toll on her both mentally and physically. I feel so badly for her, and I continually pray for her wellbeing. But at the same time, I feel I have lost my old mother, and it’s so hard. She cannot handle ANY kind of stress, otherwise she will break down crying and screaming. So I have to be the voice of reason in the house. Anytime there is an argument between my parents, they always get me in the middle of it by taking their anger out on me. I then have to calm things down somehow. I rarely raise my voice. I hate yelling at my parents, and the only time I really yell, is to shout over their voices when they are screaming at me for something. But most of the time, I just take it and remain quiet.

My dad is not well either, as he has had his fair share of physical problems. When he is well, things are somewhat okay. But when he is ill, it all falls on me. I cannot begin to tell you how painful it is. When he drinks, sometimes he will fall down and end up unconscious; I am the one who has to pick him up (LITERALLY), put him back on the bed, and make sure he is still breathing. I get scolded for refusing to take him to the store to buy liquor, but I do not want to encourage his habit. My mom just generally sits in her recliner, knitting, facebooking, or playing games on the computer. She does virtually nothing anymore.

When I have problems, I keep it all to myself. Because if I tell her about it, she will lose it mentally. I have to be the strong one in the house, and I am not sure how much more I can take. Yesterday, she yelled at me for something my dad did, and I seriously felt like I was about to have a nervous breakdown. In fact, I have felt as though I was going to have a nervous breakdown all week. I have no friends; I lost the only one I had recently, because I didn’t go along with her sex talk with guys. There is no one for me to talk to. Well, sometimes my dad when he is well. When he is in a good mood and is not drinking, we are the best of friends. But then when he does, it all goes down hill…

My mom and dad are good people; I know they love me, and they have cared for me over the years. But lately it has been horrible. I know what hell is like.

The bright side is that school begins this Tuesday. It is my only escape. Then again, coming home to such angst and trying to do homework is so hard. I don’t even have a freaking hinge or whatever it is, on my bedroom door. So there is no way to close it for privacy.

I have also been super sick with intestinal issues that the doctor has been unable to diagnose so far. Stress seems to worsen the symptoms, but I have been experiencing fever, burning in my stomach, nausea…and the other day, I coughed up blood. It’s been absolutely horrible for the past 6 months now.

My plan is to now work towards getting my own place. I truly do not want to live in the dorms, but I will as a last resort. At the moment, I do not have a job, but I am beginning to look for one so I can save up for an apartment.

Does anyone have any advice for a 20 year old girl who is moving out of her parents’ home for the first time? Also, any advice for how to deal with this while I am living at home? Most things do not scare me. But this kind of does. Please pray for my parents. And please pray for me.

Going to Mass and praying the Rosary are my only comfort. Sometimes I wish that life were a never-ending circle of the Rosary, because when I am praying, I am at peace. But then when I stop, it all hits me so hard.

Thank you. God bless.
 
There was a lot of stress in the house I grew up in. One of the best things I ever did was actually move out and move just far enough away that I could really set up my own life for myself. Move at least to the next town over if you can. Yes, it is scary to move out on one’s own, but if you can handle the stress of a tumultuous home life, you will love the freedom that comes with setting up your own home. One of the things I am most concerned about with my home is making it a place of peace and a place that is a retreat from the world. I design around that and that alone. It’s interesting how everything ultimately falls into place. God has a really amazing way of providing more than you need in the strangest of places if you just keep a lookout for it. We have quite literally found things on the side of the road that we needed. Prepare as well as you can to go out on your own, then take a deep breath and pray about everything else you will need.

Setting up your own place isn’t free, but it also doesn’t have to cost much. Look for ways of getting many of the things you need without actually buying them new. Buy things used and from the thrift store. BUYING USED IS ONE OF THE EASIEST WAYS TO SAVE MONEY. Plus,no one has to know it’s 2nd hand used unless you tell them. Most items lose a lot of value the second you walk out of the original store with them. Let someone else deal with that depreciation. Some local charities will be glad to help a young woman starting out on her own. A charity near the college I went to was happy to help college students with furniture, housewares, food, etc. because you will likely qualify as a college student starting out on her own. Shop Craigslist and keep an eye on the free section to see if anyone is getting rid of anything you need. By all means do anything you can to save a buck while you are young and on your own. Get involved in school organizations (many host free lunches and dinners). Read a Dave Ramsey book and learn how to establish your finances. Get a slow cooker, rice steamer, and George Foreman grill. These things are fairly inexpensive and they will allow you to save a lot of money by cooking inexpensive meals at home without much effort.

Just start doing searches online about money-saving tips, cheap cooking, etc. I am sure plenty of us on the forums will be glad to flood you with ideas. (There are lots of great ones!)

You are afraid of leaving because it is fear of the unknown, but let me remind you that when you move out on your own you get to make the unknown into nearly anything you want it to be. It sounds like your home life is harming you emotionally and physically. Get out there and make yourself a new home - one that is much more peaceful.

As for roommates, see if you can find a roommate through your church. It tends to lessen the chance of getting a wild, partying, drama-filled roommate that will drive you crazy. 🙂

I’m probably going to post on this thread a few more times as I get more ideas. Though I love my family very much, I moved out determined to create a home much more peaceful than the one I came from and I can promise you that you can do this too. Right now you are wondering how you can survive the stress of moving out. One day you will wonder how you survived the stress you are in right now. It’s going to take effort and you’re going to make sacrifices, but you will grow so much as a person.
 
“Upstairs is my aunt’s apartment. And it wouldn’t be much of a problem if she didn’t spend most of her time in OUR place.”

Someone–you, your mom, your dad, or the friend is letting her in. How about having a household meeting where the question is at what times the aunt gets to come over and visit (for instance, only on weekends between the hours of 5-8, which is in my opinion a big plenty). Once you all four decide on what visiting hours, inform her, stick to it, and only let her in outside those hours 1) with advance warning and 2) after having gotten everybody’s agreement. If she makes a fuss, your parents can explain that visiting hours have been cancelled for the next week. Then start over again with a friendly face in a week. Wash, rinse, repeat. This all depends on your mutual cooperation, of course, but does anybody actually enjoy your aunt’s company? If she ever refuses to leave, you know what the phone number for 911 is.

You are just a dependent young adult, but your aunt’s presence is harming your ability to study and concentrate, isn’t it? Explain that to your parents. Your welfare should be their priority.

“One time, she got so angry at me for something and was screaming so badly at me, that I had to lock myself in the bathroom while she pounded on the door demanding I come out. I was 15 at the time.”

In future, carry a cell phone at all times (even in the bathroom) and do not hesitate to call 911. Explain this to your parents in advance. This will encourage them to minimize the amount of time she spends in your home.

“My mom and dad are good people; I know they love me, and they have cared for me over the years. But lately it has been horrible. I know what hell is like.”

I think you’re stretching the term “good people” way further than it can go. This is not how “good people” act.

“The bright side is that school begins this Tuesday. It is my only escape. Then again, coming home to such angst and trying to do homework is so hard. I don’t even have a freaking hinge or whatever it is, on my bedroom door. So there is no way to close it for privacy.”

That’s good about school starting.

Try to come home as late as you possibly can. Don’t do homework at home.

“I have also been super sick with intestinal issues that the doctor has been unable to diagnose so far.”

Have you been to a gastroenterologist yet?

“My plan is to now work towards getting my own place. I truly do not want to live in the dorms, but I will as a last resort. At the moment, I do not have a job, but I am beginning to look for one so I can save up for an apartment.”

The dorm will be heaven on earth compared to what you are used to, even if you do occasionally have roommates bringing home guys or vomit in the elevator.

If the dorm and apartment cost the same, I would recommend the dorm, just because there is much more built-in companionship. For somebody who has trouble making friends, an apartment could be a very lonely choice. Also, in the dorm, you have built-in arbitration for roommate issues.
 
The first step is to get a job and start saving for your escape. One thing you could do to jump start the escape plan is to be on the lookout for housesitting opportunities. Professors often go away for the summer or for a term and they have mail that needs to be taken in, lawns and plants to be watered, cats to be fed, doggies to be walked, etc. You sound very responsible–I think it would be a very good gig for you to experiment with living on your own, without having the huge bills to manage. Even if your finances force you to move back home during the fall, some time alone would probably do you a lot of good.

There may also be inexpensive campus sublets available during the summer.

There seems to be a real reversal going on at home, where you are taking on parental responsibility for your mom and dad, while at the same time you have very few rights. The thing that jumps out at me is that there is a well-developed pattern of them not protecting you–not helping you investigate your medical issues, not keeping your nutty aunt out of the house, not even having a working door on your room. This is pretty basic stuff to screw up.
 
Talk to Financial Aid. You may be able to get at least some of your living expenses covered by grants. But do try to avoid taking on debt for this (I don’t know if they would try to talk you into it or not, bit if they do, don’t let them!)

Is there any way that you can get your family involved in some counseling? Would your mother go to Al-Anon with you? Oh, I guess that first I should recommend you go to Al-Anon yourself. Go to Al-Anon! Yes, your father is drinking enough that you qualify to go. It is *not normal *for a man to drink so much that he needs to be put into bed by his daughter, even every once in a while. I recommend this even if you move out–we all tend to develop habits of reaction to things and sometimes carry those habits with us even when we are no linger in the situation.
 
Hi lovedance4ever,

God made sure that on graduating college, my first job was several states away from my family, by a really strange “coincidence.” Since that time I’ve moved, and have ended up a few states away from my family. Thanks to Our Lady of Fatima for leading me to Ohio, by another really strange “coincidence.”

While I was really super close to and had a great relationship with my grandparents and my father, all of whom have died, I see looking back that perhaps God was sparing me from being in the proximity of certain other family members, and that’s why life has taken me out-of-state and away from my relatives. I pray for all my family every day.

Spiritual advice:
  1. Eucharistic adoration.
  2. Pray the Rosary.
  3. Ask your guardian angel to help guide you.
You can also pray to St. Raphael.

Others here can give you more insight and advice too.

:blessyou:
 
lovedance4ever,

I can sympathize, as at times my own situation greatly resembles yours. School will be a great relief, spend as much time away as you can.

Sadly moving out is often not feasible.

Most schools maintain a counseling program for their students, talking to someone really helps.

If you’re bringing blood up you really need to get to a medical professional ASAP. It might be completely stress related, it might not.

If you get the chance, try to get to Eucharistic Adoration, I go when I’m too stressed to be at home and sitting with Our Lord helps immensely.
 
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