Dear Annie: I am a sister who cut ties with a sibling, and I’d like to offer my perspective on why. Sometimes, family members who choose to disengage have valid reasons for doing so.

My sister has spent her life using and manipulating others. Her world is full of drama, and she constantly expects our family to rescue her."

In today's Dear Annie column, Annie Lane shares a letter from a reader who had a moment of clarity during therapy.

I’m sharing your letter to provide an example of someone who has chosen to cut ties with a family member. It’s a highly controversial topic, and I encourage my readers to write in and share their own experiences – whether estrangement has worked for them or if they’ve had a change of heart and welcomed the family member back into their life,

I began to dread seeing or hearing from them because it was never peaceful or pleasant. My therapist eventually asked me why I continued to let my sister and her son upset me so much. The answer: My parents had ingrained in me the belief that because she was my sister,