Americans don't shy away from borrowing stuff from neighbors—53% say they would ask for a tool or ingredient from their next door neighbors. However, 21% say they would never do it at all. And if they've had a bad experience like this couple, it's quite understandable.
This pair, while staying at a sober living facility, had a neighbor who would regularly ask to borrow things and money from them. But their last straw was when they refused to buy her baby formula and were accused of letting her baby starve. Looking for unbiased opinions, the woman shared her story online, asking who was the entitled one in the situation.
We reached out to the person who shared this story, and they kindly agreed to share more details. Read our conversation with the Redditor down below!
A woman was harassed by her neighbor for not buying her baby formula
Image credits: Prostock-studio (not the actual photo)
She even asked to borrow money, but the woman knew she would never see that cash again
Image credits: sedrik2007 (not the actual photo)
Sober-living houses are not for everybody—people have to want to get better
Sober-living homes, or recovery homes, are a pretty effective tool in reducing relapse chances for individuals who have had trouble with using addictive substances. Research shows that they "encourage personal transformation and substantially reduce relapse rates."
In the U.S., there are currently around 3,000 Oxford Houses (the largest network of such recovery homes). At any given time, some 25,000 people are staying there. As the Redditor who shared this story tells Bored Panda, sober-living situations are not for everyone. You have to want to be there in order for it to work.
"Boundaries play a huge role in recovery, especially in rehab and sober living," the netizen tells us. "Not everyone is on the same page. Some people are here for the right reasons, but others just want a free place to stay with no real desire to change."
"A lot of them are still stuck in that [dependance] mentality, and if you're not careful, they can drag you down with them. There's a fine line between being kind and being gullible, just like there's a fine line between asking for help and taking advantage of someone. That's why it's so important to know where to draw the line and when to put your foot down," the Redditor believes.
Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio (not the actual photo)
Today, the Redditor is really picky about who they let into their inner circle
Living in a recovery home is a good exercise in showing compassion to others. This Redditor also finds it challenging to do so while protecting their peace of mind. "I have a big heart and wear it on my sleeve. Sometimes that's a blessing, sometimes it's a curse," they tell us.
"[Dependence] is a dog-eat-dog world, so when you get clean, you want to live differently. You hope others feel the same, and it's disappointing when they don't. You have to keep your guard up a lot, which sucks."
"But after staying clean for a while and surrounding yourself with good people, you start to recognize toxic energy and avoid it," the Redditor says, honestly. "I personally go to meetings and then go home. If you're not clean, you're not in my circle. I hate to be that way. I have to protect my sobriety."
Image credits: Yan Krukau (not the actual photo)
"It takes hard work and dedication, but I swear, it is so worth it," the Redditor says about their sobriety
Today, the Redditor and their fiancé are mostly focused on finances. "I'm disabled, so he carries the load when it comes to work and bringing in income," they tell us. "I hate that for him, but thank God he doesn't mind."
Currently, the couple is still living in a recovery home. "We're just over a month away from graduating the program, so we've been looking at apartments and figuring out what we can afford," they tell Bored Panda.
"Honestly, getting sober after so many years of using feels like you're suddenly thrust into adulthood. And let's be real, adulting sucks. We just take it one day at a time, try not to stress, and focus on priorities. Keeping a strong support system and avoiding high risk situations. Besides money, those are our main goals. Staying clean and moving forward."
"Lastly, if anyone struggling happens to be reading this… there really is a better life out there," the Redditor offers some inspiring words. "You just have to want it. It takes hard work and dedication, but I swear, it is so worth it. Life is beautiful. We just have to choose to open our eyes to it."
Image credits: PNW Production (not the actual photo)
The woman clarified that she's open to helping people: "What I don't like is clearly getting taken advantage of"
People congratulated the couple for standing their ground firmly
Later, it turned out that the neighbor might be even more problematic than they thought
