“It Was A Disaster”: Woman Walks Out Of Thanksgiving Dinner After Family Leaves For Grandma’s

When somebody in your family is a monster who has taken advantage of you, you obviously don’t want to be anywhere near them. But when your other, normal relatives insist that they want to see you over the holidays and invite you over, you actually expect them to be present.

One woman, a trauma victim, opened up to the AITA online community about her disastrous Thanksgiving family dinner. She shared how her relatives left her and some of the guests alone for hours, and then tried to blame her for finally having had enough and walking out. Scroll down for the full story and to see how the internet reacted.

Warning: this story covers traumatic experiences and may trigger you.

A trauma victim turned to the internet for help after sharing how Thanksgiving dinner with her family turned into a nightmare situation

Woman feeling distressed and regretful after Thanksgiving dinner, sitting on a couch with head in hands in a kitchen.

Image credits: Magic by Jelena (not the actual image)

She opened up about what made her want to leave, and how her relatives reacted poorly to her setting basic boundaries

Text showing a woman feeling like she ruined Thanksgiving after blowing up at family for leaving dinner.

Text excerpt revealing a woman feeling she ruined Thanksgiving after an argument with family during dinner.

Text excerpt about a woman feeling guilt and isolation after blowing up at family during Thanksgiving dinner.

Woman feels like she ruined Thanksgiving after blowing up at family for leaving dinner, causing upset and changed plans.

Woman feels regret after blowing up at family during Thanksgiving dinner, worried she ruined the holiday atmosphere.

Family gathered around Thanksgiving dinner table with turkey and side dishes, capturing tense holiday emotions.

Image credits: Karolina Grabowska (not the actual image)

Text excerpt describing a woman feeling like she ruined Thanksgiving after family left dinner early and she blew up at them.

Text expressing frustration of a woman feeling like she ruined Thanksgiving after blowing up at family for leaving dinner early.

Text message describing a woman feeling like she ruined Thanksgiving after blowing up at family for leaving dinner early.

Text excerpt showing a woman feeling regret after blowing up at family during Thanksgiving dinner disruption.

Text showing a woman feeling like she ruined Thanksgiving after blowing up at family for leaving dinner early.

Young woman looking upset and regretful after blowing up at family during Thanksgiving dinner conversation.

Image credits: LightFieldStudios (not the actual image)

Text from a woman explaining she avoids drinking on Thanksgiving due to anxiety and prefers to be the designated driver.

Alt text: Woman feels like she ruined Thanksgiving after blowing up at family for leaving dinner early and causing tension.

Woman feels like she ruined Thanksgiving after blowing up at family for leaving dinner, causing silence and regret.

Text reading I ruined everyone’s thanksgiving. I feel extremely angry at my family, but I also feel guilt. I have no idea why. AITA?

Later, the woman shared a lot more context about her traumatic past

Text of a woman apologizing for typing angrily and quickly on mobile after feeling she ruined Thanksgiving by blowing up at family.

Text excerpt from a woman feeling like she ruined Thanksgiving after blowing up at family for leaving dinner.

Woman feeling regret and guilt after blowing up at family for leaving Thanksgiving dinner early.

Text on screen showing a woman feeling like she ruined Thanksgiving after blowing up at family for leaving dinner.

Woman feeling regretful and stressed after a family dinner conflict during Thanksgiving celebration.

Text on white background saying quite the personal story but I’m in a place I can talk about it okay, woman feels like she ruined Thanksgiving.

Woman feeling regretful after blowing up at family and ruining Thanksgiving dinner, reflecting on the event the next morning.

Hand reaching to open a wooden door as family leaves Thanksgiving dinner after a heated argument.

Image credits: vershinin89 (not the actual image)

Text excerpt showing a woman expressing regret after feeling she ruined Thanksgiving by blowing up at family for leaving dinner.

Text excerpt about a woman feeling regretful after blowing up at family during Thanksgiving dinner, reflecting on the impact.

Text about a woman feeling like she ruined Thanksgiving after blowing up at family for leaving dinner.

Woman feeling regret after blowing up at family during Thanksgiving dinner, reflecting on the emotional moment with counseling support.

Woman reflects on feeling guilty after blowing up at family and ruining Thanksgiving dinner with emotions.

Image credits: missstrugglebus

Victims of trauma can sometimes experience PTSD symptoms. Different therapies can help them process what happened

There is absolutely no excuse for how the woman’s family treated her. The biggest problem is that they didn’t believe her when she told them that her uncle had taken advantage of her while she was intoxicated.

On top of that, years later, they disrespected her by leaving her and some of the other guests alone for hours. All the while, they were visiting their other relatives.

And then, they had the audacity to blame the victim for finally gathering up the courage to walk out of the disastrous dinner. The entire situation is deeply unfair and infuriating to read.

As Verywell Mind explains, trauma can affect your ability to cope and function. It can lead to physical, psychological, and emotional harm.

Some victims of traumatic events may develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or PTSD-like symptoms.

Some symptoms of PTSD include re-experiencing the traumatic event, avoiding reminders of the trauma, being easily startled, and having negative thoughts and beliefs.

You may also feel hypervigilant and unsafe. In the United States alone, around 6.8% of adults experience PTSD.

Processing the trauma can take a very long time, but it’s possible with the help of therapy, medication, or both.

Some treatments include cognitive-behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing.

Having a strong social network that supports you after a traumatic event can be invaluable

Treatments aside, you also need to find the right, healthy coping strategies after traumatic events so that you don’t, for example, begin misusing substances.

To be clear, you don’t have to force yourself to talk to anyone else about how you feel. That being said, you have to try to accept your feelings for what they are, without judging them or pushing them away.

Verywell Mind stresses that you have to give yourself time to deal with what you’re feeling. You can’t expect your feelings to go away in the span of a single day.

However, if you can, try to find a support group where you can openly talk about your traumatic experiences with others who have been in your shoes.

In the meantime, spend time with family and friends who support you and whom you can rely on. “Even though you might feel like being alone, isolating yourself can make it more difficult to deal with the effects of trauma.”

It’s also vital that you take care of your body. That means trying to get enough rest, eating nutritious food, and getting regular exercise.

What are your thoughts? How would you have handled the disastrous family dinner if you were in the author’s shoes? If you feel like sharing your thoughts, you can do so in the comments below.

Here’s what the internet had to say after reading through the stressful story

Alt text: Woman feels like she ruined Thanksgiving after blowing up at family for leaving dinner early during the holiday gathering.

Commenter defending woman feeling like she ruined Thanksgiving after blowing up at family for leaving dinner early.

Reddit conversation featuring a woman feeling like she ruined Thanksgiving after blowing up at family for leaving dinner early.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment thread discussing a woman feeling she ruined Thanksgiving after blowing up at family for leaving dinner.

Screenshot of a Reddit conversation discussing a woman feeling like she ruined Thanksgiving after a family dinner conflict.

Reddit comments showing a woman feeling like she ruined Thanksgiving after blowing up at family for leaving dinner.

Reddit comments discussing a woman feeling like she ruined Thanksgiving after blowing up at family for leaving dinner early.

Woman feels like she ruined Thanksgiving after blowing up at family for leaving dinner, struggling with guilt and family conflict.

Screenshot of a woman expressing regret after blowing up at family for leaving Thanksgiving dinner.

Woman feels like she ruined Thanksgiving after blowing up at family for leaving dinner early and causing tension.

Screenshot of a Thanksgiving forum conversation about feeling regret after a family conflict during dinner.

Screenshot of a Reddit conversation about a woman feeling she ruined Thanksgiving after blowing up at family for leaving dinner.

Screenshot of an online discussion where a woman expresses anger and regrets ruining Thanksgiving dinner with family.

Text conversation showing a woman feeling like she ruined Thanksgiving after an argument with family over leaving dinner early.

Text conversation about family conflict on Thanksgiving, with a woman feeling she ruined the holiday after blowing up at family.

Screenshot of a woman feeling like she ruined Thanksgiving after blowing up at family for leaving dinner early.

Screenshot of an online comment discussing family drama related to a woman feeling she ruined Thanksgiving by blowing up at family.

Alt text: Woman feels like she ruined Thanksgiving after blowing up at family for leaving dinner during a heated conversation.

Comment expressing support for a woman who feels like she ruined Thanksgiving after blowing up at family for leaving dinner.

Screenshot of an online comment with a user expressing a harsh opinion about someone's sister during a discussion about Thanksgiving family conflict.

Comment about woman feeling like she ruined Thanksgiving after blowing up at family for leaving dinner, shared on forum.

Screenshot of an online comment discussing family dynamics after a woman feels like she ruined Thanksgiving by blowing up.

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