Send help! no but really, it isn't necessarily a good thing, and one question is on my mind: is the relationship toxic, or emotionally abusive? I don't even know anymore. Four years ago they were arguing and didn't sleep in the same bed, barely spent time with each other, etc. Now though they are sleeping in the same bed, spending days at a time together (with varying degrees of success) and taking tentative steps towards something like getting along. The state of the relationship depends entirely on my dad's mood. Take, for example, the family trip to the south. It went well up until my dad started showing signs of being depressed (he has been severely depressed in the past) and then started becoming irritable at everything my mom did. he would question and argue everything. there are lots of things that he does which bring up red flags. for instance, when he is in a bad mood he will always play devils advocate. He will be possessive of me in front of mom and call me (although i am way too old for this) "daddy's girl". he is manipulative, and will invite me on holidays which he knows mom can't go on because she has a phobia of flying. he is manipulative in other ways as well. he also likes to tease us, even though it has brought me to tears when i was little. he will often make jabs at us - my mum in particular - to try to get a rise out of us. quite frankly - i don't like spending time with him. but it seems as if he will end up living with my mom again. after spending 5 days together in the south their relationship had regressed. living in the same house doesn't seem like a great idea. Although sometimes they can get along, and often it seems to be when I'm not around (although ill never know for sure). they are getting back together out of financial necessity, it seems, more than anything else. So, is it emotionally abusive? and, if it is, should they find a way to not be together?
