If you are someone who was raised by a narcissistic parent, you may be affected in many ways without being aware.
Here is a list of behaviors that are common for narcissistic parents:
- Second-guessing and criticizing your choices;
- Their selfish behavior is always ruining your happy moments;
- Guilt-tripping you;
- Punish you when you disagree with them;
- Their behavior is unpredictable;
- They are never satisfied with you;
- Playing the martyr card;
- Create disharmony and drama in your family;
- Ridicule your wishes and dreams;
- Always wanting to dominate conversations and be the center of attention;
- Leaving you feeling helpless, hopeless, unloved, and trapped.
Each of these behaviors can have a profound and lasting negative influence on your life.
The key to moving on from this negative legacy is clearly understanding the connection between your unhealthy patterns as an adult and the abuse from your narcissistic parents.
Here are 11 unhealthy patterns that you probably have if you’ve been raised by a narcissistic parent.
1. You have a difficulty to make decisions because your parents have always second-guessed and criticized your choices.
2. You get uncomfortable when good things happen to you and you don’t know how to react because your parents have always ruined good times with their selfish behavior.
3. You are a people pleaser. You always put other people’s needs first because your parents have guilt-tripped you into making you put their needs first.
4. You escape from conflicts and get anxious if you are involved in an argument with someone because your parents have been punishing you whenever you disagreed with them.
5. You find it difficult to laugh, relax, and be spontaneous because your parents’ behavior has been unpredictable.
6. You are never satisfied with your achievements because your parents have always expected more from you.
7. You view yourself as too much for other people to handle because your parents have played the martyr card on you for so long.
8. You feel inexplicably drawn to drama and turmoil instead of harmony because your parents were always creating disharmony in your family.
9. You feel numb and have a hard time deciding what you want and how you feel because your parents have always ridiculed your feelings and desires.
10. You feel extremely vulnerable and sensitive around manipulative and bossy people because your parents dominated the conversations and always wanted to be the center of attention.
11. You may have self-soothing habits of excessive shopping, drinking, eating, or other addictions because your parents have always left you feeling unloved, helpless, hopeless, and trapped.
These coping mechanisms may have helped you survive during your childhood but are toxic to you as an adult.
You must free yourself from them.
Becoming aware is the first step. Don’t give up! You are not powerless, you are not a victim anymore. Your history doesn’t have to be your destiny.
