last night my wife and I had company over. We were playing cards, eating snacks and music in the background that we all liked. One person (company) at the table kept making these really strange and triggering comments to the effect of possible suicide, self injury thoughts and actions, seeming to be depressed, you know the drill. at one moment this person and I had sometime alone in the kitchen, I took the brave step of letting them know that I noticed their comments, down mood and asked them what was going on. their answer nothing, Im ok, everything's fine, Im just tired, didnt mean to upset anyone. this of course made me angry. how dare this person come into my home, seem like they are depressed, suicidal and self injuring then say hey everything is ok.

I was so angry and triggered I started feeling my dissociation symptoms of not being able to feel my body, and distancing from the situation. I did not like that this person came into my home and for their own attention getting seemed depressed and suicidal and self injuring.

I took a few grounding deep breaths then let the person have it verbally. I said you do realize you sound like you came into my home pretending to be depressed, suicidal and self injuring for attention. and that any one of us could have picked up the phone and called 911 and the police and had you taken to the hospital? In my home depressed, suicidal and self injury are not a joke and passed around and then say, Im ok nothings wrong everything is fine. no everything is not fine and I dont appreciate being manipulated that way.

they said I wasnt manipulating you. I said back then what was it..why did you do that if nothing was wrong....to get others to pay attention to you? the person looked around my kitchen. then said ok so I wanted your attention whats wrong with that. I said not in my house and not with me. if you appear to be depressed, suicidal and self injuring you by gosh better be depressed, suicidal and self injuring. I will not have someone manipulating me then say hey everything is ok, Im fine, no problems here. now please leave my home.

my wife and I talked afterwards, turns out while this person and I were in the kitchen my wife and the other person were talking and they too were feeling uncomfortable and felt like they were being manipulated. They heard heard the conversation from the other room. needless to say the manipulative person ended up leaving by taxi instead of the person she came with leaving with her. Neither of the company knew what I do for a career so disclosed this to the remaining company, and let her know that they were still welcome in our home but I will not be manipulated like that again. the evening ended much more upbeat with a few more hands of cards and relaxing.

question would you have felt manipulated if someone appeared to be depressed, suicidal, and self injuring and then they make light of their actions?

what would you have done to pull yourself out of your dissociation symptoms and take control of the situation again?