“There was no air, no breathing space, between me and my problem; we were entangled and confused. I could see nothing straight and clear, nothing was revealed in its true colors, only the flaming red of constant hysteria and apprehension. To have found a way out of this kind of thinking is a miracle in itself; I found that miracle in Al-Anon.” (ODAT, 8 March
Someone described an insane asylum where the inmates would get under the skin of the staff, and the staff would get entangled trying to sort them out. The insane really were running the asylum. Except for one nurse who was direct and would say, for instance, “Joey, you’re getting in my hair. Cut it out.” And then she’d move on to the next thing. Boundary. Move on. This works very well, I’ve found.