Anonymous asked this question on 4/16/2000:

Before my mother died many years ago, I purposely distanced myself from her physically and psychologically because she made multiple suicide attempts and I couldn't handle it.

When she died, I was living in Atlanta and she was living in Chicago. She died in February and the last time that I had seen her was at my sister's wedding the previous August. We had been in touch by phone and mail, though.

I have felt guilty about distancing myself since her death, but at the time I made the decision to distance myself, I felt that I was doing it for my mental health. Was I wrong? I know that I can't undo what is already done, but I still feel bad about what I did.

larrybergen gave this response on 4/17/2000:

Sometimes we have to make hard choices in life to maintain our own sanity. In the field of mental health I especially have to keep distances between myself and others who are of lesser sanity. Sometimes i feel guilty,i've had to say goodbye to some friends who are just not healthy to be around. But I am healthier for it. You should feel no guilt,your mother gave up ,you didn't.

Don't beat yourself up, Larry

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