Breaking the Cycle

[straysweeper]

Catch 22

How do you face those that have a catch 22 limited mentality? My sister owes money to government agencies, so she tries to avoid making more money, while gaining money from other government agencies. But on paper she doesn't make enough. Once she makes enough, she'll lose it from another, and the other will take it. So, she has trapped herself under a bar of poverty. I grew up there and it is insane.

This way of thinking permeates my family. I see it in my father who focuses on Survival and almost violently refuses to look beyond survival because he is so intent on that survival. My mom is dependent on SSI but doesn't make enough to survive and slowly deteriorates, both financially and healthfully. My brother who can't see doing something else, so continues to do what he knows. I have not been immune but seeing my own symptoms is probably harder for me being so close. Has anyone ever broken a cycle like this in the past?

[Annabelle]

I´ve seen this in the USA. Where I live most of the time, Guatemala, that could not happen because there is no aid from the government here. This is, after all, the third world. But even here, people go into that descending route of neglect...(?) and I have noticed that they only react when they reach the lowest of the lowest...namely, when there is no more money, no more help, etc. It is a tough situation and I commend you for getting out.