I suffered a major breakdown about four and a half years ago. I am doing much better now. Since my breakdown I have gotten better with developing health relationships. The problem is I don't know often what to do when people throw their emotional baggage my way. A couple of days ago I had a very public disagreement with two of my family members. The disagreement itself did not bother me. It was how they tried to insult myself and other in an effort to gain control of the disagreement. I have decided I needed a break from them. Immediately after telling them I would not be able to make it to Thanksgiving dinner I received a well worded threat through text from my sister. My aunt and sister are very well know for having a hard time keeping friends, so I assume I am not the only one who has gotten similar treatment. I know I can't expose myself to them too much while I am healing, but I feel sad that I will not have the same contact with my niece, nephew, and grandmother who are living with my sister. I got out of a controlling relationship recently and dread the idea of taking a step back by letting them control my life. My sister and her husband somehow think I owe them a piece of myself since I have live on disability through my employer right now. As an example of how toxic the situation is, before we even had our disagreement my sister put a post on Facebook that indicated that people receiving welfare and disability were drug users and spent their money on expensive shoes. I am looking for feedback on how to emotionally prepare myself in the future to allow me to have access to my nephew, niece, and grandmother, but without making myself vulnerable to my sister and aunts attacks.