Three signs you might have experienced parental narcissistic abuse

Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. You experienced parentification Those who grow up experiencing narcissistic abuse are taught to feel responsible for the perpetrator’s emotions. The warped balance of responsibility is known as emotional parentification, defined by WebMD as “the process that occurs when parents impose their emotional needs on their children and seek emotional and mental support from them.” Later down the line, this can lead to embedded limiting beliefs among survivors, which might manifest as feeling responsible for the emotional well-being of other people in your life. As a result, “they have to adopt beliefs that keep the parent willing to care for them.” Because of the extensive emotional responsibility placed on children experiencing narcissistic abuse, another common belief among survivors is that their productivity dictates their value. For the psychotherapist, who has published a book on recovery, “the crux of healing from narcissistic abuse is to orient yourself back to your own life instead of orbiting the narcissistic parent.” This, he says, is the key to informing any next steps.