Dear Prudence,
My parents love me. I am trying my best to make them proud. However, recently they put me in a situation that has made me miserable, and I am not sure if I should forgive them for it.
I am a teenager and I have anxiety, depression, and autism. The former impacts many aspects of my life, the most noticeable being the way I communicate, both in person and digitally (e.g. this message to you). It also makes me incredibly sensitive to noise.
My parents are avid churchgoers, which is something I do not mind. In fact, I encourage it as religion is very important to them. However, it does cause conflict between us; my father performed pseudo-exorcisms on me on two occasions. They both took place a while ago, and I have forgiven him, but this recent incident has been more difficult.
They recently attended a concert-style church event. They seated me in the front row, in front of the speakers, with a spotlight shining onto me repeatedly. I requested a seat change and they said no, that I should simply “suck it up.” And I tried. Let the record show that I tried my best. However, after three straight hours, I began to cry. I also had a minor meltdown. It felt like torture, and for days afterward I heard a ringing in my ears that would not stop.
My parents told me it was my fault and that I was being dramatic and “Putting on a show.” I was not. What should I do?
— Wax Moth