I think it was a mostly positive experience, and I still think it was the right thing to do, although it made life more stressful because I had to be independent and self-sufficient right after high school. It was better for my mental health to get away from all the negativity that came from my family. I developed close friendships with a supportive friend group in college that essentially replaced my family. But I had to work 20+ hours a week in college and still had to take out loans.

I subletted every summer during college because there was no way I'd be coming back home. I did internships every summer to cover expenses and save a little.

My mom would still send me occasional emails, which I never responded to.

Entering the real world after college, it was stressful as an inexperienced fresh grad with no family to support me. So I became an over-performer at work, which stressed me out. But as a result of that hard work, I'm ahead of nearly all of my peers career-wise.

Life became increasingly isolating as I reached my 30s. I still had friends, but everyone was busy with work, dating, kids, moving away, etc.

In my mid-30s I decided to reconnect with my mom because I became more aware of my mortality, and I didn't want to hold a grudge for the rest of my life. By then she had definitely mellowed out, but she's still a highly negative/toxic person. I talk to her occasionally now, but I generally keep my distance and don't attend most family events.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5777920&forum_id=2Reputation#49286203)

it would be easier to cut them off if they were explicitly abusive towards me as a child but whatever neglect they acted with during my childhood was simply a function of their abject retardation despite their good intentions, which makes things more difficult.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5777920&forum_id=2Reputation#49286263)