Posts by restlessranger54

First off, I just want to say thanks to everyone for reaching out and showing support. Look, I know the diagnosis is what it is, but I’ve decided I’m moving forward regardless. What’s actually eating at me is figuring out how to stay positive through all the ups and downs of life—like, you have a steady job today, and tomorrow everything changes. I refuse to let this damn illness define my best years.
Some mom replied to my previous post, and honestly, I dig her perspective, though it feels like she's being driven by a ton of fear and anxiety. Sometimes I see it, sometimes I don't.
But at the end of the day, I really believe you just have to forge your own path, no matter how messy things look right now. That said, I still deal with that heavy sense of guilt whenever I decide to just do my own thing.

Hey everyone, glad to be here. 🙏 I’ll try to keep this brief.
I’m living at home in a small town. Until recently, I actually had a steady job.
Things at home are pretty messed up right now, and honestly, it all boils down to one thing 👎
The issue is my mother. In her mind, she is always 100% right about everything. It’s kind of embarrassing to admit I’m 30 years old and still typing out stuff like this, but here we go...

I’ve been dealing with MS for five years now. I’m not disabled or anything—I can still do just about whatever I want to do.🙏 My mom has always been the type to hover over me because I was sickly as a kid; she basically kept me under a glass dome so I wouldn't get sick again. But the real kicker is how toxic she gets with her words. On top of managing my health, my finances are super unstable right now. She constantly reminds me that I’d be absolutely nothing without her and that I’m basically doomed once she passes away.😲
Yesterday, she actually told me my future looks like a nursing home. 😲 I’ve been with my boyfriend for two years; he knows about my diagnosis and he couldn't care less about it. He’s fine. The problem is my mom. She keeps telling me he’s not someone I can rely on and that our relationship will probably fall apart because of my illness. There’s zero room for him in our relationship because, in her eyes, she’s the only one here to set me on the "right path." I would move out in a heartbeat if my job situation wasn't such a mess right now. So, what do I do? Any advice? She’s also against me getting married because she thinks since I don't have money, why would a husband want to support me? And kids? Forget about it. I'm not stupid enough to go there. I’ve tried every trick in the book to break through her delusions, but nothing works.
How do I stop letting her opinions get to me when she’s already screwed me over so much?

You guys really helped me out with those answers. Hopefully, things will be a bit smoother next time. It’s honestly wild how much garbage you run into in places where you least expect it 👎

Only my immediate family actually knows I’m dealing with MS. I keep it on the down-low from everyone else. 🙏

Not exactly a badge of honor to brag about, you know? ☕

Honestly, I’m just stuck wondering how to handle things next time—assuming it even happens again. Like, if she has another outburst, do I just stay quiet or actually say something?

How do you guys deal with people being straight-up rude? 😠

I’m telling you straight up, she basically told me to my face that I’m overstepping my bounds. Said I was asking the wrong questions at the wrong times, and honestly, that she needs to "protect" the members from people like me. 😲 😲

My folks back home were reading through the emails and they were just floored by it. 🤷
To top it all off, now she’s playing games about whether I should even be volunteering at the workshops anymore. Apparently, I’m just "too curious" and my questions don't fit the vibe of how the non-profit operates. Does anyone know who I can actually complain to about someone acting this unprofessional? Is that even a thing you can do?

I’ve been digging through some legal sites regarding volunteer rights, and it’s pretty clear—they aren't allowed to gatekeep information from me. It's literally the organization's job to keep members in the loop when they ask.
Am I totally off base here? I honestly don't know what to think, or how I'm supposed to act if they actually reach out and ask for my help again. 😢

Thanks for all the input 🙂
Here’s what’s really eating at me though! If someone actually knows exactly what their goal is, they know who they want to reach, and they have a clear vision of what they want to accomplish... should they just walk away because one employee at an organization is being straight-up rude? Or is it worth sticking it out despite how she treats me?
How would you guys handle a situation like this?
To put it simply, does someone else's reckless and arrogant attitude give you a valid reason to bail on something you're actually passionate about?
I could really use some perspective here—it’d help a ton if people shared what they think about this whole mess I'm dealing with

Sorry if I'm stumbling over my words here, bear with me.😁
So, here’s the deal. Last week, I swung by this local non-profit for the first time—just for a quick couple of hours. I filled out their intake form and spent some time hanging out with the kids they serve. The director actually told me I picked the perfect time to show up because they’re desperate for a volunteer who can actually show up consistently, since everyone else is working full-time and has zero availability. I was like, awesome, glad I could help.😁 I mentioned to her that this was all brand new to me and asked if she could walk me through what they do and what their general mission is, you know, just to get the lay of the land.🙄 She basically just told me to finish the paperwork—which I did—and then snapped that I had to stick to "the plan," even though nobody had actually explained what that plan even was. The whole vibe felt super unprofessional and rushed.
Then things got weird. I sent an email following up about the workshops happening this week, just checking in since she said we’d touch base. I also asked about their monthly schedule and upcoming activities, because from what I gathered, they were ready to hit the ground running. Total silence. No reply. I figured, okay, maybe she's just swamped and hasn't checked her inbox. So, I gave her a call since she gave me her number, and the woman practically lost it on me. 😲 She just started screaming. Like, seriously? 🤷
I’m just trying to step up and help, and apparently, that's a crime.

Hey everyone, I’m not totally sure if this is the right spot for this kind of thing, so mods, feel free to move this wherever it fits best. Since this is about volunteering and some honestly pretty nasty behavior from an employee at an organization where I’m trying to help out, I was hoping some of the serious "shrink" types on here could give me some advice on how to handle this—what to do and what to steer clear of. So, look, I decided to volunteer at a local non-profit here in my small town because I’m currently between jobs and have plenty of downtime. Not gonna bore you guys with all the details on why, but one big reason is that I’m planning to go into disability services professionally. Plus, I deal with my own health issues—I've got MS, which is tough, but thank God I'm in remission right now so I'm feeling pretty good. I really thought I’d found the perfect organization to get involved with. But here’s the thing: when I started asking questions—because I wanted to be fully immersed, you know? Not just showing up for an hour or two a week, but actually being there for the workshops and stuff—I got this absolutely shocking response via email. I only stopped by once last week for a quick bit, but ever since I started digging deeper and showing real interest, things have gone south. I’m wondering if this is just how overworked staff act, or if I should just cut my losses and walk away. I really don't want to, though, because I genuinely vibe with the people running the place. If you know what I mean! Please, if anyone has any smart advice, I'm all ears. I can definitely go into more detail about what happened if it helps.