With the news that Brooklyn Beckham has gone “no contact” with David and Victoria, he joins an increasingly visible number of people who are estranged from their parents. From cultural differences to emotional abuse, there’s a myriad of reasons why people choose to cut off their relations. The uniting element, however, is usually that all other options, conversations, and approaches have been explored before this path is taken.
I went “no contact” with my mother last March, and haven’t spoken to her since. My reasons were multifarious and layered, but, ultimately, had been building over the years until a breaking point was reached. Since my own estrangement, I’ve found a form of peace that could only come from closing the door on a situation that had become untenable. It’s not something that was done rashly, or without thought, and it required the support of my family, friends, and husband. And, while separating from a parent is strange enough, there are other details and complications that arise along the way when you choose to cut off a relative.
