If you are an adult child of a narcissistic parent, you likely played one of two roles in your family: a golden child or a scapegoat. A golden child is the pride of the family, while the scapegoat occupies a much less enviable role — that of a screwup who can’t do anything right. If […]
narcissistic parent
The Dark Reality of Being a Golden Child of a Narcissistic Parent
If you have a narcissistic parent, you can play one of two polar opposite roles in your family: golden child or scapegoat. If you’re a golden child, you’re your parent’s favorite little darling and you can do no wrong. In most people’s eyes, this is an enviable position to be in, especially if you consider […]
Do Toxic Parents Get Better in Old Age?
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 […]
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 […]
Top 10 TV Shows Featuring Narcissistic Female Characters
You can read books on narcissism. You can listen to academic lectures. But what’s more fun than learning how narcissists act and think by watching your favorite TV shows? Here are 10 of the most hilarious, outrageous, and memorable narcissistic female characters on TV. 1. Arrested Development: Lucille and Lindsay Bluth Arrested Development is a […]