AITA for stonewalling my mom after she snapped at me or am I just too sensitive?
Hi everyone, Im in my 30 and currently living with my mom again due to chronic health issues and unemployment. Right now, I’m deeply doubting my own perception and feeling incredibly guilty. I need an outside perspective on whether I overreacted or if my behaviour was justified. Here is what happened:
A few days ago, I walked past my mom, who was sitting on the table while she was looking at her phone. In a friendly and interested way, I asked her: "Oh, are you looking at flowers?" (I noticed she had Pinterest open).She completely ignored me, kept eating her food, and didn't say a word. I waited and thought oh well maybe she wants to finish her bite. But nothing just silence. I asked hey are you not talking to me?
My tone wasn’t accusatory at all - it was completely normal, almost laughing.
Somehow she immediately snapped: "Well, I'm eating! What am I even supposed to answer to that? 'Yes, I'm looking at flowers', or what?!" Later it turned out she was stressed because she didn't know what to text some relatives for their wedding anniversary and was apparently looking for inspiration on the app. Anyway in this moment it really hurt me since it's not the first time she sometimes snaps or 'reject' me like this. I always have the feeling I annoy her if I talk too much.
Still I found it super weird just to ignore someone completely. Just say if you don't wanna talk or give me anything like a hand movement or idk. I can't read your mind.
Because this rejection hurt me deeply, I went into "gray rock" / stonewalling mode for the next few days, only communicating the absolute bare minimum with her. Yesterday, she asked me a question about some flaxseed leftovers—a question she already knew the exact answer to. I used her own medicine and ignored her at first and then replied with her own words: "What am I supposed to answer to that? You already know I throw them away." She was a bit shocked and tried to laugh it off mockingly. Childish I know but I didnt know how else showing her that it hurt me.
Since then we just speak the necessities but I feel horrible.
My mom says I take everything too personally. Am I really being overly sensitive and toxic? Or was my withdrawal an appropriate way to protect myself? I feel so bad and guilty. I also am stressed sometimes and can say snappy stuff but she never ignores me. I don't like it that I do it but ai can't help it.
Thank you for your honest thoughts.Note: Just for context, shortly before the situation happened, I also made a snappy remark to her about some papers she left on a place who always fell on the floor.
Posted Sep 25, 2026, 11:06 PM UTC