Must I bail out my aging mother who never parented me?
Writer’s mother, who has long struggled with mental illness, relied on others and only met basic physical needs; now the writer must decide whether to prioritize their own well‑being or help her.
Dear Eric: My mom has always suffered from mental health challenges. She’s coped in life by using other people to take care of her in many different ways. She was unavailable to parent me other than meeting basic physical needs.