Abusive mother just received breast cancer diagnosis

I have been taking steps for the last 10ish years to try and establish boundaries with my (30F) abusive mother (mid 50’s) but things are as bad as ever if not worse, and she just received an early breast cancer diagnosis.

For context I grew up with only her so it was just us two in the home. I thought her aggressive behaviours were completely normal until I was about 22 or so, but she was extremely manipulative so I kept feeling guilty and like it was all my fault, and so kept in touch and kept going back.

Fast forward to now, I live in a different city to her and have done for almost 10 years. Though she wants to speak every day I have reduced contact to once a week roughly. She has now found out that she has breast cancer, though she won’t tell me what kind.

She doesn’t have anyone else in her life but insists on swearing and screaming at me over the slightest perceived disrespect and has said she doesn’t want to speak with me anymore.

In a horrible way I’m relieved. The way she has always treated me and pushed me around has affected the way I see myself and let other people treat me, and I can’t change that whilst still in this trap with her.

Should I try harder to get her to talk to me again, or wait until she speaks to me in a respectful way? The last thing I said to her was that I love her and will be here if she needs me.

Posted Aug 5, 2025, 10:12 PM UTC

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