CopperStar: Thanks for telling me that it's okay. I always feel like I should choose one emotion over the other and that's where my guilt starts to settle in. I think the best way I can protect myself is moving out, because she's also getting increasingly homophobic, which is also stressing me out because she doesn't know I'm gay. But it will be a while until I do that. I just try to stick to myself.

Marmaduke: I agree with you. I'm always the person who would say that abusers deserve no sympathy but then I get so confused when it's a family member. I try not to be sympathetic but it's so hard not to. It's tough.

IrisBloom: It is incredibly hard not to take it personal, because some things are meant to be personal. I am working hard at not internalizing it, though.