Distancing yourself from other people's problems isn't selfish or cruel
Adopted and adapted from an article by Sharon Martin, DSW, LCSW: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/conquering-codependency/202301/detaching-with-love-is-good-for-everyone
What is detaching with love?
If you're often worried about a loved one, disappointed or upset by their choices, or feel like your life revolves around whether they’re doing well, then detaching with love can help you. According to the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, “detachment with love means caring enough about others to allow them to learn from their mistakes.”
Detaching means stepping back from obsessively worrying about others, telling others what to do, and trying to rescue them from the consequences of their choices. When we detach, we let others take responsibility for their own choices and don’t interfere or try to protect them from any negative consequences that may result.
Detaching gives us the emotional space we need, so we’re not as reactive and anxious. It helps us to be less controlling and to accept things as they are, rather than trying to force them to be what we want.
Detaching doesn’t mean abandoning or that we stop caring. In fact, we have to detach because we care so much and need to be needed. It hurts us to stay so closely entwined in someone else’s life and problems.
Detaching is good for you
It is in your benefit to detach when you are so wrapped up in other people’s pain and problems that it’s negatively impacting your physical or emotional health: You’re not sleeping or eating normally, you have headaches or stomachaches, you’re tense, distracted, irritable, depressed, preoccupied, worried, and so forth.
It is important to detach when you seem to care more about another person’s well-being than they do themselves. It’s nearly impossible to change someone who doesn’t want to change. And trying over and over again is incredibly frustrating. It’s heartbreaking to watch a loved one self-destruct, but it’s heartbreaking in a different way to keep nagging, giving ultimatums, arguing, crying, and rescuing—and still have nothing change.
Detaching reminds us that we can only control ourselves. And when we focus on what we can control, we will begin to see positive results and our hope will be restored. We will once again feel empowered to change the things we can.
Detaching is good for others
You may be wondering, "Isn’t detaching mean or selfish?" No, it isn't. We don’t detach to punish others or because we’re angry at them. Detachment is about self-preservation. It's also a way to love others (even if they probably won't see it that way). If you are constantly hovering, worrying, telling them what to do, or rescuing them, they never have the opportunity to learn how to make decisions, solve their problems, and learn from their mistakes. When you do these things, you’re creating dependency, which is neither helpful nor kind.
These types of controlling behaviors (even if done with good intentions) are done from a place of superiority. They have an attitude that says, "I know better than you do. I know what you should do, and you’re a fool if you don’t do what I say." Clearly, looking down on someone isn’t the basis of a healthy relationship. Instead, it erodes trust and open communication.
Controlling and rescuing contribute to feelings of anger; no adult wants to be treated like a child. Yes, at times, they may enjoy the benefits of you cleaning up their messes or doing things like giving them money, but being treated as a child or someone with no responsibilities or consequences diminishes their self-esteem, which just encourages them to stay in a dependent, immature state.
Loving someone often means letting go—not trying to control them or keep them in a dependent position. It’s hard to release control and let a loved one make unhealthy choices or do things you don’t agree with, but adults have the right to make their own bad decisions.
How to detach with love
Detaching is an action that you take that helps you “stay in your own lane” or stay focused on what you can control and what’s your responsibility—and not interfere in other people’s choices. Here are some examples:
- Not giving unsolicited advice
- Setting boundaries
- Allowing others to experience the natural consequences of their actions
- Recognizing that your feelings and needs are valid
- Expressing your own opinions and feelings
- Taking a time-out from an unproductive or hurtful argument
- Not accepting responsibility for fixing or solving other people’s problems
- Not making excuses for someone else’s behavior
- Staying focused on what you can control rather than worrying/thinking about what others are doing
- Not catastrophizing or anticipating the worst possible outcome
- Not enabling or doing things others can reasonably do for themselves
Detaching is hard and it’s contrary to what codependents naturally want to do. So how do we do it? Start by getting support. Detaching is much more manageable when you have peer support or professional support.
Detaching isn’t cruel. Often, it’s what allows us to continue to have a relationship with someone. And if you don’t detach, your relationship will progressively suffer and your sense, along with your mental and physical health, will suffer.
Taking care of your emotional, spiritual and physical self is NOT selfish; It’s the healthiest thing you can do for everyone in any relationship.
Stop chasing the gerbils.