I won’t lie, it’ll take a while to fully get up on your own feet - but it’s absolutely worth it in the long run. It hurts now, the anger, the confusion, all of those feelings I felt, but they’ll slowly morph into new feelings. Now I don’t feel as much anger at my dad, more pity that he is so stuck. I don’t feel like I left my family, I know they chose themselves over me, and that still stings but it’s something I can work with.

I also set up a rule of no more politics in discussions, it’s honestly just easier. I view it as that way someone who disagrees with me and I can become friends, and then maybe later we can realize that we aren’t so different after all. Maybe I’m not the terrifying liberal boogeyman the media has made me out to be.

It sucks at first, but you already did the hardest thing. Work on yourself, work on reflection, get extra help if you need it, and you’ll be okay. Know that you aren’t alone in what you’ve been through :)