One Redditor, let’s call her Carla, had a series of such cringe-worthy restaurant escapades with her in-laws that made her swear off dining with them for good.
More info:Reddit
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The mother-in-law even put her son on a “secret diet” as a kid, which affected him for a long time
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Carla, a 29-year-old with a knack for surviving awkward dinners, had been married to herhusbandfor 11 years. She thought she knew her in-laws pretty well, despite their rare visits. But boy, oh boy, did those visits pack a punch. Her mother-in-law’s restaurant antics were the stuff of nightmares.
Now, Carla had her fair share of struggles with disordered eating . Years oftherapyhelped her recover, but some situations still sent her spinning. Dining out with her mother-in-law? A first-class ticket to Trigger Town.
But wait, it gets worse. The mother-in-law loved to brag about putting her son on a “secret diet” when he was a kid. This not-so-secret diet haunts Carla’s husband to this day, leaving him with a mess of issues to untangle.
Recovering from an eating disorder is like navigating a minefield- just when you think you’ve got it all under control, one comment about your portion size, and you’re back to square one. For anyone who’s battled an eating disorder, triggers are everywhere, especially in social settings.
Asexpertsexplain, “Because an eating disorder is often a means of coping with or feeling in control of difficult emotions or situations, the idea of life without it can be very frightening, and you may feel conflicted about recovery. Nobody expects you to smoothly walk along your path towards recovery – it’s completely normal to meet some obstacles along the way.”
However, when these obstacles come in the form of your mother-in-law, things can get a bit tricky, just as Carla had to learn the hard way. As the road to recovery is never a straight line, sometimes the best move is to steer clear of situations, or people, that could knock you off your game. In some cases, this means putting distance between you and your triggers, even if it means setting boundaries withfamily.
Image credits:Engin Akyurt (not the actual photo)
Another netizen pointed out how women of the mother-in-law’s age were fed all kinds of unhealthy food nonsense growing up, which they now pass on to everyone else. Someone even suggested that explaining these issues to the in-laws was like trying to convince a wall to move. “It’s so glaringly obvious to normal people!” they exclaimed. Bless the internet for keeping it real and hilarious.
In an update, Carla clarified that her husband was fully aware of his mother’s toxic behavior and totally supported her decision. They were a united front, setting boundaries and managing their relationship with his parents like pros.
Expertsadvise us to stand up for ourselves and create boundaries whenever we need to. “You have every right to express yourself when things don’t feel appropriate. You’re allowed to tell family members about actions or words that you find intrusive or aggressive. Your boundaries could be regarding anything, including your desire for freedom from negative, controlling energy, your physical and emotional needs being met, respect about the feelings and emotions you experience.”
Netizens sided with the woman, saying she’s not a jerk for refusing to go out to dinner with her in-laws and she is right for wanting to protect her mental health
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