Do toxic parents get better in old age or do they become even more insufferable? On this website, we talk a lot about toxic or narcissistic parents, the lies they taught you, and how to stop seeking love and validation from them. But any exploration of an abusive parent’s psychology would be incomplete without understanding […]
Difficult Parents
An archive of articles about difficult, toxic, controlling, manipulative, selfish, narcissistic, and abusive parents.
33 Revealing Signs You Have a Narcissistic Parent: The Ultimate List
If you’re a child of a narcissistic parent, it may be challenging for you to see the signs. First, you have no frame of reference for what a “normal” parent is. Second, narcissistic upbringing conditions you to find faults in yourself, not your difficult parent (who’s more likely to be the source of the problem). […]
How to Stop Seeking Love and Validation from Your Narcissistic Parent
As humans, we are programmed to seek love and validation. That need is especially strong during childhood, when we are still forming ideas about who we are (“self-schemas”). But if you had a narcissistic parent, these needs likely went unmet. As a result, you keep seeking that validation from your parent — whether consciously or […]
How to Deal With Guilt-Tripping From a Manipulative Parent
Is your manipulative parent guilt-tripping you? You’re not alone. Inducing guilt, or “guilt-tripping” is a common tactic used by manipulative people everywhere. But just because it’s common doesn’t mean it’s harmless. In fact, over time guilt can seriously erode your mental and physical health. Yet manipulative parents are oblivious to the harm they cause. To […]
Moving Away From Family: How to Handle the Guilt Trips
Are you moving away from family and can’t handle the guilt? Are your parents going out of their way to make you feel like you’re the worst person on earth? I know your pain. My husband and I are planning to move to another state. We’ve lived in California most of our lives, and we […]
Toxic Parenting: 9 Ways to Avoid Repeating Your Parent’s Mistakes
Toxic parenting leaves deep scars on a child’s psyche. But what we often don’t realize is that it also gives the child a faulty blueprint for raising their own children. So how do we avoid repeating our parents’ terrible mistakes? First, we need to understand the full impact of toxic parenting. The Effects of Toxic […]