Growing up, did you feel like you were the responsible adult and not your parents, or was every aspect of your life under their strict control? Did you feel rejected? Perhaps the constant mood swings made you insecure? If this sounds familiar, you could have been raised by emotionally immature…
Do you think that you were born into the wrong family? As wild as that may sound, it may feel like it. The toxic family dynamic makes you question your purpose in life. Being born into the wrong family isn’t exactly some supernatural occurrence – rather, it’s more like complex…
What are the signs you grew up in a toxic family? I grew up in a toxic family, but thought it was normal. It was only when I left home and started sharing stories with friends and partners, I realized how different my childhood was. Often, the effects of living…
Parents are not supposed to have a favorite child, but I’ll tell you something, my mother certainly had one, and it wasn’t me! Don’t worry, I’m not bitter and it certainly hasn’t affected me at all. It’s not like I need constant validation or anything... In our house, there was…
Enmeshment describes a blurring of roles within family relationships. Families should have clear roles such as caregiver, dependent, or the oldest/youngest child. Enmeshment trauma abuse occurs when these roles become blurred. Examples include children assuming a parental role, or parents acting as their child’s friend. The problem with unclear parental…
I was watching a TV program the other day, and a character referred to her mother as a devouring mother. In the program, the mother wrapped her daughter in cotton wool. She was overprotective, invested in her daughter’s life to the point where she neglected her own, and smothered her…
One of my favorite TV programs is ‘Everyone Loves Raymond’. It reminds me of our family. When we grew up, my brother was the favorite child, so I can relate to the toxic rivalry of brothers Robert and Raymond. However, comedy show aside, research indicates that favoring one child over…
In the modern Western world, we don’t take curses seriously. We relegate them to biblical texts or fairy-tales. But cultural beliefs like these are common amongst many African and South American people. They believe their ancestors’ spirits cause ailments or misfortune, and if it continues through the family, they blame…
