10 sad-but-true reasons people cut family members out of their lives

I’ve been seeing individuals of all ages in my consultation room for over 25 years. I hear about all kinds of emotionally distressing situations. Many triggers can cause these situations, but one of the greatest sources of pain is family members cutting them off.

Regardless of the reasons, people whose families cut them off feel shame, confusion, stress, and sometimes even depression and feel disempowered. This is particularly the case if no explanation is provided for the cutoff. Relatives may cut each other off for months, years, and sometimes even a lifetime with little to no explanation.

The following are some of the most frequent reasons why a relative is likely to cut another off or to freeze them out of the family fold. This is not an exhaustive list. I am also not suggesting that cut-offs are healthy. Please keep that in mind as I enter this confusing set of family dynamics that go so dreadfully awry.

1. They are disappointed.

Some families have a history of cutting off members when they are disappointed, angry, or experiencing other less-than-pleasant emotions about them. Perhaps you witnessed your mother do this to her mother-in-law while you were growing up.

You then learn that cutting off relatives is an option, and you may follow suit when feeling similarly disenchanted by someone in your family circle. We all learn from what we see modeled at home.

2. They want to exert power and control.

In all families, there are dominant and less-than-dominant members. The dominant may lead the family in cutting off a relative simply to exert their high level of power and control.

Where do you think kids learn about the playground dynamics of bullying? Bullies are often exerting the same modes of power and control on display in their homes.

3. A toxic family situation is making them feel exhausted.

Sometimes a relative can exhaust and deplete their family members. They may feel that they have put up with certain behaviours for too long, and they may feel hopeless that things can change.

They may start by phasing out a relative and then handily place this person on the “do not interact with” list. Everyone has their own pain tolerance level and can only handle so much.

4. They don’t want to be reminded of the past.

There are all kinds of family members who know a lot about your history and younger self. Perhaps you don’t want any reminders of your past. How do you go about rewriting your history and changing your narrative?

One way is to shut out the family members who know all about your past. Eliminate them from your life, and you can rewrite your story without anyone letting the proverbial cat out of the bag. Avoid that relative, and your past is more likely to stay right where you feel it belongs — in the past.

5. They are loyal to a certain person.

Some of you are likely forced into a situation where you have to choose between a child from a former marriage or a new partner. Or maybe you are feeling coerced into choosing between a parent or a spouse.

These are dreadful situations, but you all know someone who has been in this position. Common? Yes. Easy? Certainly not.

6. They have perceived slights.

Sometimes a set of misunderstandings occur between relatives. If they don’t discuss the issues, they can build up and eventually break down relationships. It is tragic that such build-ups lead to breakdowns.

I have never been a fan of avoidance, but for many, discussion is synonymous with confrontation and avoidance is the unfortunate choice.

7. There are financial issues.

Financial issues are often the source of relationship difficulties. Money may not always be able to buy love, but it sure can lead to lots of bad feelings. Consider the dynamics of a family dividing an inheritance, or what often happens when families go into business together.

8. There’s disagreement over caring for sick parents.

Do you want to see a family disintegrate? Watch what happens when a set of siblings try to share the responsibilities involved in taking a sick parent to medical appointments and/or visit an elderly parent who can no longer take full care of himself or herself.

There are certainly families that come together and handle these sorts of situations beautifully, but this is also high on the list of reasons why family might cut you off.

9. There is abuse.

Unfortunately, many people have been emotionally and/or physically abused by relatives. This damage cannot necessarily be repaired. In many, but not all, of these cases, a lengthy set of painful interactions will cause these cutoffs.

10. The family, in general, is unable to recover from conflict.

Some families simply lack what I like to refer to as elasticity. They lack the ability to recover from difficulties and, like a rubber band, snap when stretched too far.

It is my hope as a clinical psychologist to help families discuss differences and mend fences. There are times, however, when there is so much history and damage that there is little desire and energy to repair relationships.

It is my job to help individuals understand their role in family cutoffs, either as the person who is cut off or the one who has initiated the cutoff. Good luck to everyone as you try to understand your particular set of family dynamics.