Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (2024)

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (1)

    deandra

    March 11th, 2013 at9:29 AM

    i used to be just like that girl who is in this paper. me and her were a lot alike. then one day my grandma said. deandra why do you always blame your mama. for everything? i told her i didn’t know and me and her talked about it a real long time. she told me all about her struggles growing up and how she always blamed her daddy. for everything too. it really helped me see how i was messing up and how i was the only one who could control what was going on right then. she said jesus would want me to forgive my mama so i did. it made such a big difference for me i was able to have the life i always dreamed about once i could see my choices were mine to make and mine to mess up or not. i sure hope this girl will understand this and make a good life for herself.

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (2)

    mplo

    October 29th, 2016 at10:06 AM

    I had some developmental delays, and, although I’m not mentally retarded, they did cause problems for me throughout my childhood, adolescence, and even young adulthood. The only reason I was mainstreamed my whole life and not in with people who were retarded, or at least borderline retarded is because chapter 766 had not yet come into existence when I was growing up, during the 1950’s and 1960’s. When I got into my early 20’s, and had run out of trips for “typical” people, I went on a trip to Europe that was supposedly for children and young adults with learning disabilities, but the problems of the campers went well beyond learning disabilities. It was not a pleasant trip overall, and the few friendships that I did form on that trip were short-lived…and not meant to be. The staff wasn’t that great, either.
    With the exception of my 13 year old niece, who was delivered 3 weeks early by Caesarean section (she’s gone through some rough times, but she’s a normal kid, nonetheless), both my younger sister and brother, and their kids were born the normal, natural way, without the use of forceps, and were breast-fed, instead of with crappy formula from a bottle, like I was. It angers me that my parents were so short-sighted when they were going to have me, that they chose a crappy, inexperienced obstetrician (My mom’s original obstetrician sold his practice to an inexperienced japanese obstetrician and retired, prior to giving birth to me.), and I came out bruised, socially inept, with difficulties in learning and communication. I’ve never been overly affectionate, either. My mom tried her damndest to get me involved in all of the burning-hot, high-flown, lofty, noble causes of the day, which didn’t work. That attitude on my part has carried on to this day. I kind of wish I’d been born differently, or later, but that’s hindsight. I learned something about myself on that 6-week European trip for developmentally disabled adolescents and young adults, however: That time spent by myself is far preferable to me than time spent with people I really don’t like, or can’t connect with. I haven’t been as successful at the things I really like doing, but well…that’s the breaks. I won’t quit the things I like, nor will I retreat into a world and enter into settings with people like those on that disastrous trip that I went on, years ago. It won’t work for me.

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (3)

    mplo

    October 29th, 2016 at10:54 AM

    I also might add, however, that as tough as it was, they loved me, but I think my parents made a lot of mistakes, as well. Had it not been for my family, I probably would be living in subsidized housing, in some third-world community, or in some rural, far-out-on-the-frontier area, or maybe I would’ve turned out, at best, like the people on that 6-week European special needs trip that I went on many years ago, and in settings that I would hate even more. I was often teased and ostracized by other kids when I was growing up, due to my differences, and it carried over, to some degree. Yet, at the same time, I’d probably not have a lot of the things I have now if I had been normal, but who knows?

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (4)

    June

    May 11th, 2017 at8:30 PM

    As I do agree with forgiving your mom, I don’t necessarily think it is healthy to have her remain in your life. The best thing I did after YEARS of going back and forth with my mom, I realized SHE has a mental health issue that isn’t diagnosed nor will be as she doesn’t think she has done anything wrong so I chose to forgive her through spiritual guidance from my pastor and motivation from my therapist now. I am struggling with finding my own identity in all of this. Spending all of these years blaming and accusing and being vengeful have done nothing to me but make me more miserable, with severe self esteem issues and a guilt that is unexplainable. Keep your head up. We are survivors and we will win by making the best life we can and letting go of the negative feelings we have about ourselves! Know your worth!

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (5)

    mplo

    December 20th, 2017 at3:38 PM

    Despite the fact that I had some developmental delays and not good grades in school, I’m smart enough to form my own opinions on things, which don’t always tally up with my mom’s. (my dad passed on almost 17 years ago, at the age of 76.) I have a different perspective on how Boston, as a city, should’ve been more integrated: Both schools and neighborhoods in Boston should’ve been integrated. I don’t think that mandatory school busing solved much of anything, but I understand why it was done. An extremely recalcitrant, opportunistic, politics and patronage-ridden all-white Boston School Committee spent years digging in their heels and being intransigent as hell. As a result, even though almost nobody (either white or non-white wanted it), Boston’s black community felt compelled to file a Federal Lawsuit against the Boston School Committee, even though they didn’t especially want to, due to costs, and due to awareness of what would transpire, especially in Southie (South Boston, MA) in its wake.

    Imho, had the Boston School Committee done its job and integrated Boston’s public schools on their own, like they were supposed to, instead of engaging in all their grandstanding, political posturing and racism, and had B-BURG (Boston Banks Urban Renewal Group) allowed first time low-income African-American homebuyers access to housing throughout the city, instead of singling out Boston’s Jewish neighborhoods for this experience, things would’ve been way different. There would’ve been more racially, ethnically and socioeconomically integrated neighborhoods that white and non-white Boston Public School students could walk to, or take public transportation to, the Boston School system would’ be in much better shape today, and the need for a Federal Court-mandated, large-scale cross-city school busing edict would’ve been eliminated. Also, the fact that all too often, the very poorest neighborhoods of Boston, both white and non-white, were paired off together, and the results, especially from the pairing off of Roxbury and Southie (South Boston, MA), especially the two high schools in those areas) together, were especially problematic.

    I have my own opinions, but it took my family a long time to at least grudgingly accept them.

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (6)

    mplo

    June 29th, 2018 at5:25 PM

    my mom is not totally in my life, especially since we live separately, which is all for the better. I don’t, however, like being made to feel like damaged goods, which is why I don’t talk with my mom or anybody else about my developmental problems I had as a younger person.

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (7)

    Jena

    March 11th, 2013 at9:31 AM

    It is so hard to admit you are getting something out of being miserable. But, the only way you’ll stop being miserable is by stopping the process of allowing yourself to be the victim all the time. Giving up the victim role can be empowering in the end, but it really isn’t any fun at all at first. It really means that you have to take responsibility over the decisions you have made and are currently making. But, we all know that people don’t do things unless they are getting something out of it.

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (8)

    Iona

    March 11th, 2013 at9:32 AM

    You sound like a really good therapist. Keep up the good work!

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (9)

    d

    July 15th, 2019 at10:03 AM

    she sounds like a smug, terrible therapist.

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (10)

    jeda

    March 11th, 2013 at9:35 AM

    gloria sounds like a really smart person. she was even smart enough to now she needed therapy. everybody ain’t like that.
    i wish i could be that smart i have alot of problems but i am scared to go to therapy i know you have to be honest with your therapist in order to get better
    but there are alot of things i cant be honest about cuz i could get in alot of trouble so what am i supposed to do?
    how am i supposed to get better and start acting rite if i cant be honest with a therapist

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (11)

    Sheila

    June 14th, 2014 at3:55 PM

    look into your heart and reveal what keeps you from forgiveness. This will be your freedom. Forgive as you have been forgiven. Place that either spiritually, through therapy or that thought in your own personal bucket of the mind and deal with it when you’re ready so you can be free and live a life free from guilt and shame.

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (12)

    mplo

    February 27th, 2017 at3:47 PM

    Being honest with oneself has to come before one can be openly honest towards others. It took me a really long time to realize that, but I finally did.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (13)

    Cindy

    June 4th, 2017 at7:09 AM

    It sounds like you are still holding your parents accountable for a unhappy childhood.

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    Mama Bear

    March 11th, 2013 at9:38 AM

    Blaming your parents for your problems will get you nowhere, it is so true. I used to do that. YOu know when I stopped? When I had two kids of my own. I realized that even though my mom and dad weren’t perfect, they probably did the absolute best they could. Sure they may not have spent the quality time with me I would have liked, but they gave me all of themselves that they could. Sometimes we forget that our parents are people, too. They have their own baggage created by their own childhoods and really are just doing the best they can with what they’ve been given. So, lighten up on the parents! I can only imagine what my kids will tell their therapists…until they have children of their own, that is.

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (15)

    Mary

    September 14th, 2016 at2:33 PM

    I am the mom whom is getting the rage of her daughter due to alcoholism. But no meanness, vulgarity etc. I myself had a bad child hood which never changed. Good luck to all who struggle. Gods blessings.

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (16)

    Anna g

    November 20th, 2016 at4:03 PM

    So I was reading the post and some people said not to blame you’re parents. Some times the way we turn out is there fault. In my cause I believe it is. Every since I was five my mom and dad were on drugs, sleeping all day, not sending us to school . Not feeding us moving ,sleeping at rest stops, hotels,churches, etc. My mom left my dad and still couldn’t get it together. We were on services. But she had help from her rich parents. Then her parents cut her off. she says she had a crapy child hood. so why make mine crapy? Never took her kids to the denist ever thoe we had medicaid I have huge fillings in my back teeth I had to get 3 crowns and I have no dental insurance cause of that crap. So I had to pay cash 4,000 on something that could of been prevented . I have no insurance and my kids go to the denist every six monthes my daughter is now in collage straight a she did sports her whole life my son is a 10 grader straight a student . I finished the 7 grade that’s so sad. I just have done my best I can. i work hard cleaning houses every day to provide for them cause I love them. I’m working on my ged this is so hard. never got one compliment when I was a kid I needing glasses I couldent see the board. I needing counciling ,I was in special ed i can go on and on all day .I’m sure you get the point but don’t say everyone shouldn’t blame there parents. She’s also a liar and I’m none of those things. But I am insecrue, never felt loved I have depression and anxiety low self esteem I’ve been to counciling on meds. I can’t afford 80 a week for council were self employed make to much to get help now I have to pay 175 for these ged classes hope I can get this dam thing.

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    Malaika

    December 24th, 2016 at11:23 AM

    Hey Anna ,I feel for you.
    You will come out with flying colours.

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    Suzanne Rogers

    September 22nd, 2017 at10:13 AM

    Anna, YES, Your Parents (or Mom) were irresponsible dumb*sses…That’s for sure!!
    You are lucky you survived. I dont think I’d ever want to forgive her….but somehow if u can find it in ur heart to forgive her….AND THEN MOVE ON WITH YOUR LIFE….I hope & pray you can do this!! as it sounds like u had a really crappy childhood and I feel really bad for you…But try and move past it so you can LIVE!

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    Anna g

    September 22nd, 2017 at5:53 PM

    When I had my 2 kids i blamed my parents even more. It’s not easy being a parent but they should make sure you get through highschool so you’re not set up for failure.education is the most inportant thing so by me not finishing I’m self employed i make good money but it’s taking a tool on my body. i do house cleaning by the way. So I’m still trying to get that ged I have to pay for tutoring. i still have 2 more test. And yes I have tons of baggage more than a lot of people. But my daughter was on dance team all through highschool, she also did completion dance. Finished high school is almost done with collage. my son is in tenth grade dose sports gets straight a’s i adore my kids and would do any thing for them. So because I have baggage should i not send my kids to school, sleep all day, do drugs, be homeless, neglect my kids and not take them to the dentist. Which I pay by the way because I have no insurance. I taught my kids how to be good citizen’s and people. I’m a great mom. I’ve taught them to help the poor , treat people with respect, always help those in need, to go to collage, get a good job with benefits and 401 k, go to the dentist pay taxes.ect my parents taught me nothing I’m surprised I don’t have the life style my dumb parents had. A lot of people cant put there big pants on they dont no how. And it’s cause of there parents.thats why God gave us parents to teach us the basics of life. just like a baby lion gets taught from there parents. Some of you put snotty comments on here. You should shut you’re mouths.this isn’t toward any one Pacific, but if youre not in people’s shoes you should be more supportave. That’s the problem today parents. There are so many kids dropping out of school it breaks my heart parents are on services if they can’t support they shouldn’t have kids that the bottom line.and by the way thanks Suzanne for you’re kind words and every one else who supports there were a couple more people.

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (20)

    Hannah

    March 11th, 2013 at3:12 PM

    Yeah, I think that the time to stop blaming your parents for everything comes about the time when you are old enough to realize that you have to take some ownership of the things in your life too but are just unwilling to make that step.
    I would hate to think that I was a senior citizen still complaining about all of the things my mom and dad did or did not do and blaming them for all the things that were still happening to me. But you see this all the time.

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (21)

    U.L.H

    March 11th, 2013 at11:28 PM

    Parents can have a big influence in our lives. And their actions can bring in new turns in our lives too. No doubt. But how much we let others’ actions affect us depends on nobody else but us!

    There is always ways to counter any negative affect that others’ actions have on us. Blaming is no solutions. A better way would be to see and assess how that has affected us in the past and in the present and doing something to rectify it.

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (22)

    ROD

    March 12th, 2013 at4:03 AM

    if you are always going around blaming your parents then you are never owning up to your part
    there comes a time when you have to put your grown up pants on and determine that you have to make your own way in life
    regardless of what happened to you when you were young
    you have to move past all of that and create a life of your own that is free of that

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (23)

    Sheila

    June 14th, 2014 at3:47 PM

    I agree

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (24)

    gemma

    July 12th, 2016 at12:40 PM

    I think that its a bit harsh to expect someone who has had a toxic upbringing to forget and forgive unkind and often damaging treatment by a parent. This lack of respect for the child often carry’s over into adulthood so the pst never really changes just more of the same. if it was a partner who behaved in such a cruel and often dangerouse way would we say the same thing or would we say put those big grown up pants on and leave this toxic. Or are the rules of a toxic relationship different when it comes to parents ? I think not unkind abusive behaviour is never be tolerated . Most abusive parents rarely ask for forgiveness anyway .

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    Anonymous

    March 12th, 2013 at12:27 PM

    How about those parents who are overslly controlling and don’t allow you to take your own decisions?
    How to deal with them?
    Yes, i dont want to blame my parents for my failures but they dont give a charge of my life to my hands.. What to do except to blame them?

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (26)

    Corps86

    March 13th, 2013 at10:50 AM

    There r parents who do deserve blame. The ones who torture, abuse, ect…A person has the right to blame them until or if a person can reach a point of forgiveness. Blaming parents who caused damage can’t do more damage the damage is already done

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (27)

    Brian

    May 13th, 2013 at3:14 AM

    I agree with the last comment. If a parent is abusive in any way or it feels weird with them you don’t have to stay in relationship with them AND move on at the same time. It isn’t an “either or” here. You can do both. Say no to the parents and their bullshit and if it doesn’t stop block them out while moving on with your life and finding ways to live your dream and support yourself.

    It isn’t cookie cutter. For some forgiveness could come and for others forgiveness without real remorse from the parents would just be a bypass.

    I don’t like new age or things that bypass real feelings and you can’t just will forgiveness. It usually comes when someone apologizes for real with remorse that you can feel from the person who hurt you. It usually dissolves into forgiveness that moment when you can really feel it.

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    Enigma

    June 26th, 2013 at6:36 PM

    Anonymous … If you are living your life, paying your bills, self-sufficient … the answer is easy.

    If you are “dependent” on your parents (monetarily, living arrangements, vehicles, etc.) that’s on you. If you put in place healthy boundaries and are taking care of your own business, it gets much easier.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (29)

    Saba

    July 20th, 2013 at8:44 AM

    I still blame my parents for alot of things, on a daily basis. I don’t do it so much verbally, but definitely mentally. I agree with Rod, that one day you have got to put your grown up pants on, as taking responsibility for your own decisions is one of the characteristics of an adult.
    I also agree with Mama Bear, in that remembering that your parents were probably trying to do their best, and probably trying to cope with their own baggage as well, whilst they were raising you, helps you get some relief from these powerful feelings of sadness, and inadequacy, that some of us torture ourselves with, throughout the day, on a daily basis. s: There’s a good quote I heard, out of all places, from this tv show that’s on here in Australia, where one character says when trying to help another character, ‘Look, you can either be right, or you can be happy.’ I think that sums up the problem all of us here have, with the treatment we’ve recieved from our parents. Yes, they may have abused us, in some shape or form, and yes, we want our parents, and the other people around us, to feel our pain, for other people to acknowledge our pain, and say to us that, ‘Yes, that’s not fair, what they did to you. It hurts. It shouldn’t have happened to you.’ And so we absolutely hold on to this victim mentality. So even though we may be right, we are definitely not making ourselves less unhappy, by doing this to ourselves. Gloria, I hear you. And to everyone else in the comments, I hear you, too. But- we have to do some good things in our lives, whether that’s painting, listening to, or learning to play music, drawing, having a positive relationship, cross-stiching, claywork, cooking, dancing, reading, laughing, writing, studying, going to the beach, or to the park, meeting up with friends, gardening, planting a tree to help a depleted forest regrow, or doing good deeds for others who are suffering more than ourselves, or for our family members, like helping with the dishes, learning a new language – the list of possibilities for good, healing, soothing, therapeutic, things that we can do in the world, and that can happen to us, in return, are actually limitless, folks. So although the pain of holding onto the victim mentality feels vindicating in a way, we should just try to do things that make us happy. :) As the excellent psychologist on this site has written, she, and I’m paraphrasing this, she ‘hoped that the satisfaction that Gloria had started to experience from her successes, once she left the pain alone, and started to open herself up, the pain reduced automatically anyway, and that the taste of these successes became far more enjoyable than any vindication she recieved from any from her victim feelings.’ I really hope that me, Gloria, and the commenters, can detach ourselves from holding onto our pain, and can create a good life for ourselves. :) I wish peace, love, contentment, light, satisfaction, laughter, feelings of adequacy, and fulfillment, in our lives. :) Good Luck, everybody. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. :) Love, Saba from Sydney. :)

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    Logan

    August 23rd, 2013 at3:20 PM

    When I was young my parent hurted me when I said please stop 5 times they hurt me so bad I lost power and dreams they broke my dreams I wanted to happen. Destroy my toy I love.they never even make birthday party’s for me every year I lived a sad painful and no great times in the old times. Don’t do it to your children you may go to jail for 25 years don’t let it happen I agree that children should blame parents for there anger

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    Marie

    August 25th, 2013 at10:27 PM

    Wow. This is just Mind blowing. My daughter has blamed me her entire life for her unhappiness. I have always thought she must be Bi-Polar, as she has always mistreated me, from a small child with little respect, and hatred, that has continued for all of her childhood, and into her adulthood. She will be 32 in less than 30 days.

    I will say that she has not had the best advantages in her life, but has blamed me for everything. I think we have had a very Co-Dependent relationship, in which we have continually tried to rescue, and save each other from lives trauma’s, only to find that nothing ever really changes in the long run,and that we are both still just Miserable. She has ruined my potential relationships with Verbal, and Physical abuse, which has made it impossible for me to succeed in any way.

    This madness just has to end, as now I am approaching 55, single, and pretty much struggling to survive. She has used me, stolen from me, and has demoralized me, time and time again. She has physically knocked me down, abandoned me in Las Vegas, stealing my car, and left me at casinos when I had no way to return home safely, with little remorse.

    She always brings up my past, and my single life when I was divorced, and made me feel like a whore. Funny, I look like a Nun when I compare myself to her. She meets men, stays with them for weeks, and after they are done with her, she reaches out to me with complete desperation for help, and rescue.

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    P Sweet

    September 28th, 2016 at2:10 PM

    Omg, you just described some of the same things I am going through with my 19 yr old daughter.

    Reply

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    Annie

    March 16th, 2017 at10:23 AM

    I identify with you. My daughter is 44 now and has given me a terrible life for 25 years. Her childhood wasn’t perfect. A lone parent, deceased husband, little money, but I tried my best and I LOVED her. She denies any love and blames me for all her problems. She had a comfortable home, good food and support with her through university with money, fairly good education although she was lazy. She has criticised me constantly, taken every penny I have, ridiculed my friends, complained i didnt love her ever, or ever wanted her. I feel like I cannot stand it any more, but always I try to help her to be happy. Now I know that can never be possible, she will always be unhappy, she likes attention all the time. Never once did she help me at home. Just takes everything she wants, and says I am pathetic. Now she has decided to remove me from her life, as she cannot stand me anymore. I have no money left, so she has no use for me I think. I dont know what to think. Is it better we are estranged? Maybe. But she is wrong. I did love my baby, but had post-natal depression for a while, I think perhaps I want her to stay away, as I need to become a person again, but I do care what happens to her, as she is miserable. Perhaps she is better without me as she says I make her angry

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    Melissa

    August 8th, 2018 at12:26 PM

    I am also going through this with my 23 year old son. It’s really tough having an adult child in the house who wants to punish me for his unhappiness.
    I wish I could show him this article but lately he has been telling me to f… off if I try and speak to him.
    How are things with you? Ii improved?

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    Renee

    October 7th, 2016 at5:08 PM

    You need to distance yourself from your daughter she I toxic. Sometimes we need ti let people go for our own sanity & well being even if it is a child of ours.

    Reply

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    baby bear

    September 12th, 2013 at2:44 AM

    I had this realization about a year ago… I’m twenty-five. And yet I still won’t let it go. It’s exhausting, and ruining my mental state. But these feelings of intense anger just keep creeping in, daily, hourly sometimes. I’ve tried to escape them with drugs and alcohol, I’ve tried to deny them and tell myself that they did the best they could, but deep down I still feel that they had no right to bring me into the world. I still keep in touch with them even though I feel they have no right to a relationship with me. I’m no longer their dependant, but I still bend to their wishes because I fear losing the respect of and contact with my extended family if I sever the ties of contact. The idea of standing up to them is absolutely terrifying to me because I am fairly certain it would elicit an emotional response, and yes, it would hurt their feelings because they did sacrifice a great deal for me. But in the end, I never asked for any of it. In the end, because of genetics and patriarchy and heaven knows what else I’m a mentally unstable young woman who tends to have unwelcome and obsessive thoughts of suicide and self-harm, and equally unwelcome bouts of risky, impulsive behavior. I’d love to have a kid and say, “oh, now I understand,” but I truly believe I’m unfit to be a parent. Maybe that’s what hurts the most.

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    Beverly Amsel, PhD

    September 12th, 2013 at5:10 PM

    Hi Baby bear

    You are clearly struggling with a lot of feelings and conflicts in relation to your family.You don’t have to be trapped by genetics and patriarchy. I think it is very important that you find someone to talk to so you can find a way to move on and have a good life for yourself.

    Reply

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    LeetheGirl

    October 4th, 2013 at2:25 PM

    This is an issue that I have. I often feel like I am an underachiever and inadequate and that other people must feel negatively towards me for any given reason. And, worst, that no one cares about me. I act nonchalant a lot of the time when I am honestly worried about what others think of me.

    I blame my mother for this a lot. And I also blame my father a bit for not standing up to her.

    My mother is very bossy and controlling. She victimized my father, my siblings, and myself by belittling us, yelling at us, hitting us, screaming, you name it. She acted harshly towards anything she viewed as different or strange.

    And so I, being awkward and having a hard time making friends since kindergarden, was a prime target for her. And her humiliating me over having no friends, calling me horrible names when I did
    something “wrong”, swearing at me and yelling at me to put me in my place has, I feel, made me an emotional wreck.

    I realize, of course, that only I can change my viewpoint in the long run. But I think what will help would be my mother’s admittance to her treatment of me. And, most of all, an apology. Which is something I doubt will ever happen.

    I don’t want to feel this hatred towards my mom so often. I know she actually does love all of us, she has done a lot of good for us. But I’ve brought this all up with her in the past and her denial of what she did, or claiming she has ‘forgotten’ makes me feel even more anger.

    Reply

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    Sandra

    January 19th, 2014 at6:42 PM

    I was not a great mother. My daughter suffered from my overworking, my dating, and a father who was verbally and physically abusive. For the past 2 decades I have done all I can to make up for it. We got along great for awhile and she forgave me. I was so grateful. Then she made some decisions in her life which did not pan out well for her. She also chose some men to date who hurt her a great deal. That’s when the blame game came into full swing. I fell for it out of guilt and began paying her way for a lot of things. When I saw that our relationship was only getting worse, I gradually cut the flow of money and then the verbal abuse started from her. It hurt a great deal but I told myself she’s just having a tantrum because things are changing. Five years of disrespectful behavior from her and she didn’t get the results she wanted (me to grovel and give her money). She then did the cruelest thing a mother can experience. She cut off all ties with me and said I had ruined her whole life. My parents consoled me (she is not in touch with them either) and told me to hang tough, that she just needs to grow up. I’m working to stay strong but it’s been over a year now with no contact. I see a lot of parents hurting online due to estranged adult children. It seems epidemic and I think that they are being misled to believe this is a good answer. My daughter and I have both been cheated out of a lot of good times because of her stubborn demand that everything go her way or no way at all. I hope she can work through this and come back to me but she is 41 years old and I have come to accept that she would rather be selfish and “right” in her mind than to have a better life with her loved ones.

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    Monkeysmom

    February 12th, 2014 at12:45 PM

    I don’t blame my mom so much. But I do know my childhood experiences shaped how I think and how I make decisions. There are things she did that I will never forgive her for because of a deep belief I had in her that she destroyed in a matter of months when I was 12. My mom wasn’t abusive or really neglectful. She is selfish and made bad decisions. I hate to say it, but my mom is not a very smart person. But I also know her childhood and she always felt unwanted and unloved. She literally did the best she could and I can’t fault her for that. I fault her for lying to me because that was something she could have helped. I fault her for relying on me for emotional support when I was growing up. I fault her for saying and doing things (mostly to or about others) and not caring how they affected me. I grew up believing (and still do) that I am judged by others because of her, I am a reflection of her. The way people see her, is the way they see me. I have worked very hard to overcome this (mostly my separating myself from her), but recently I have been reminded of it and I have I realized it’s the reason my ex-husband treated me like he did. He became very controlling in how the house appeared, how I appeared to others. It was all very subtle and most people never realized what was going on. I didn’t really realize what was going on until I finally had enough and left. The point is I don’t so much blame my mother because I know she did the best she could. I just wish she would have learned to keep some very hurtful things about others to herself, because I am tired of taking the fall for it. I do struggle with the perception of people judging me, especially after they meet my mother (who I rarely introduce to people I know). I struggle with people treating me as if I have nothing to really contribute to work, relationships, etc. Most of it is a perception and I know this, but at the same time the same situation keeps coming up. I try different approaches and yet I still am left behind or feeling I am not important enough to even be considered a person of any value. I have a few very close friends who understand this & do what they can to help, but it seems to me that eventually it gets turned back to them & I am supporting them. That is what I struggle with, I am always other people’s rock, yet I can’t find a rock when I need one. Tired of being “strong”, tired of working hard and no one really caring about how much effort I put into it, or when I ask for help, I don’t get it. Most of the time I feel like people just push me aside and think ‘she is fine, she is strong’. There is a little girl crying in this strong woman. I guess that is what I blame my mom for..

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (41)

    Chris Laforest

    March 8th, 2014 at7:35 PM

    First of all, lets get it out of the way – yes I think there is value in a concentration on the future as opposed to the past, and of releasing those who have harmed you.

    But what is so key in that understanding – what is, in fact, the whole point of forgiveness – is the fact that you let them go for good. To say that you’ve forgiven your parents, when they haven’t made any personal effect to apologize for the wrong they might have done you, but then that you continue to have a relationship with them is to entirely miss the point of forgiveness – I think.

    The fact of the matter is, emotions are the human way of experiencing and understanding the world and, most importantly, our relationships. When you are feeling angry, your intuition is telling you something valuable. So I am pretty tired of seeing this mantra repeated that feeling angry and betrayed by your parents after realizing the true nature of your childhood is somehow unhealthy. It is incredibly important to get this. Emotions can never be incorrect. Emotions are simply fundamental reactions to base stimuli. The only thing that can be wrong, in terms of our emotions, is our interpretations of them; why are we really feeling angry? Who is at fault?

    Writing off emotions because they, as a symptom, bring about undesirable feelings is an incredibly self-destructive mistake. Emotions are only a symptom of the actions of other people towards ourselves. We have absolutely no control over what emotions we feel if someone does something that causes us pain.

    Because emotions are symptoms – and signals – it would be a huge mistake to treat them as the cause of our issues themselves. No, the cause of our issues are the people who hurt us, and the long repressed feelings and incredibly crippled ability to sympathize with our own emotional experience which resulted from being hurt is our signal from our true self to deal with the original pain. Treating these symptoms directly can only paper over what we believe – falsely – to be the problem. Inevitably, the emotional pains will surface elsewhere because our soul is constantly trying to get us to go back and feel the pain that we have been forced to repress and hide and pretend doesn’t exist.

    I think that clears that up pretty well. Negative emotions are not the CAUSE of our disturbances – they are merely the baseline communicators of the real causes which lie, usually repressed or otherwise ignored, in our historical psyche. To continue relating with people who claimed to love you but who hurt you – when they haven’t gone to great lengths to apologize for what they did in making you as dysfunctional as you are – is nothing but self-destructive and basically to, de facto, blame yourself for all of the negative emotions you are feeling. The key is that someone has to take the blame for the pain. If it isn’t the person who hurt you – and we know it isn’t any fun to tell your parents (who may not have been nearly as bad as the average) that you now understand that they hurt you and that you have that much less respect for them for it now that you are an adult and you realize how they treated you even in the situation of complete dependence to them that you were in – then you must, necessarily, blame yourself for that pain. This popular notion of “forgiveness” is basically the idea that nobody has to take responsibility for doing harm. But the fact of the matter is that, while we may be able to empathize, in an abstract sense, with the situation our parents were in – be it through their own parenting or their peers at the time, our personal experience cannot be understood through the abstract.

    Now, I have to reply to Marie, and my comments will also apply to many other sentiments in here with which I strongly disagree. It is truly disturbing to see the way in which Marie interprets her relationship with her child. She describes herself as being on equal footing with her daughter emotionally – bouncing off of each other in terms of their similar dysfunctions (dating crappy guys, etc.)

    Now, I could go on with the specific things that Marie talks about and relate it to the point I’m going to make – that which I think is the clincher in this whole “debate”. But it’s pretty simple, and I don’t want to come off as deliberately trying to hurt people; because I just want to help them understand what is actually going on. I will make my point, and you can apply it yourself and see if you think it makes any sense.

    The parent-child relationship is not equal; like the partner-partner relationship, or the employee-employer relationship, or indeed any other relationship. The child makes no positive choice to be born, or to be born to the parents they get. They have no choice regarding what kind of people their parents are going to be, and they can’t leave – especially not in the most formative years (90% of emotional brain development in the first 4-5 years). In fact, in those most formative years, the concept of leaving would not only be an impossibility in the mind of the child – who considers the loss of their mother’s love (and by mother I mean the main caretaker parent) as real death, they really don’t know the difference. It wouldn’t ever occur to them because, of course, they don’t yet have the capacity for such complex concept understanding. What I am describing is the incredible power disparity in the parent-child relationship; in terms of physical power, emotional power, experience, and most importantly, the fact that parents have about 99% of the choice involved in the process of “having a baby”, while the child has absolutely 0. The other 1 percent is a courtesy for the parents who didn’t want to have kids. But let’s be honest, the capacity for young adults to understand that having sex can result in pregnancy FAR SURPASSES the capacity for an unborn child to choose not to be born.

    So why am I going on about the real nature of the parent-child relationship? Well, when we read posts like Marie’s here, we get a completely different set of claims about that relationship. Marie goes on in detail about the various character flaws that her daughter has, but skips completely over any responsibility she might have for creating those character flaws in her, and skips right over to feeling hurt by the fact that her daughter is blaming her. Absolutely no curiosity. And what’s worse is that she is claiming to be making this post and these comments in the interest of her daughter – in whose best interest it would allegedly be to stop blaming her mother for her disturbances.

    Well, isn’t it pretty clear that her habits and addictions are identical to her mothers?

    So again, if we try really hard to consider the definition of the parent-child relationship that I gave before and compare it to Marie’s relationship with her daughter and her interpretation of it, do we not find that there is a huge disconnect? I can’t say I really care what the end goal is, it is all to clear that Marie is using this blog post as a shield – though I’ve already explained that it isn’t actually a functioning shield – against her daughter’s completely legitimate claims against her.

    I have to say that I do not believe you, Marie, when you say that you have tried appeasing your daughters desire for closure in accepting the blame, and so that you’ve realized that the answer isn’t for parents to be blamed. The reason I don’t believe you is that you consistently refer to your relationship – from since she was just a toddler – as one sided against you. You make it sound like you did everything you could but that she was just impossible to deal with. You explain it as though she wanted to hurt you for no reason.

    I know that you can’t have ever really apologized to her for the harm you did her, that for which she now blames you, because – in every way you describe your relationship – you see yourself as the victim and her as the aggressor.

    When you have described a grown woman as a victim, and a helpless young child – whom that grown woman was responsible for bringing to life – as an aggressor; I’m sorry but I just don’t see how anybody could or should take you seriously.

    That’s why I can’t just move on with this forgiveness crap. In order to deal with the consequences of trauma, you first have to admit that there has been trauma. When you do admit that, it becomes obvious that someone actively did it to you, and that that someone now wishes to be a part of your life in a big way.

    So if they get hostile, or scornful, or claim that you are being insensitive when you bring up the fact that you have concerns over the way you were raised; these aren’t people you want to hang around with anymore and to continue to do so is only to reinforce your emotional disturbance – which is that you were forced, as a child, to suppress or completely ignore your own feelings for the sake of filling an emotional void in your parents that you didn’t create. If you continue in such a relationship without their full changed devotion, you recreate your crippled self-esteem by concentrating on showing sympathy for their situation – for which the other side of the coin is ignoring your own feelings.

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (42)

    Astri B

    April 28th, 2014 at6:36 PM

    Many, esp young grown up people tend to blame their parents for their sadness, for feelig lost, lonely, their anxiety, disappointment in their own achievements in life or whatever, despite the fact that they have grown up in homes where love , respect and mutual understanding were important values all the way. They feel that the parents do not accept them, even though this may not be true at all, quite the oppsite, even. I modern society it seems like blaming caring and well functioning parents, especially mothers, is the most intelligent and psychologically correct reaction. In many cases these young people are dissatisfied with themselves, and believe the parents also share this negative attitude, no matter how much effort they put into trying to explain the opposite. When they talk about their parents’ attitudes they actually describe their own. Why do so many people do that? Is it our freudian inheritence? Is it because they don’t understand that all the feelings I mentioned in the beginning are part of life, and part of growing up is dealing with that? How realistic is it to believe that we can go through life without depression, feeling lost and anxious at times, especialliy in years of great changes? If the parents have not been directly abusive, I am optimistic enough to believe their offspring would be strong enough to handle these difficult periods of life. In one sense we could say that we are all victims, victims of life itself… but isn’ t it more important to focus on how lucky we are to have got the chance of living life with all its pleasant and not so pleasant challenges? With the devastations and the happiness? Humans can communicate, help out, exchange experiences. I’d rather do that than blame my old mother or have a therapist blame her for things I as a grown up human being need to cope with myself. Life is about growing, and that may hurt. So we all need patience, love, empathy and understanding to help one another to move on in life, not accusations, self-pity, rejection and self-righteousness

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    Mary

    May 15th, 2014 at8:58 PM

    Very well said, thank you.

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (44)

    Concerned

    March 16th, 2014 at12:47 PM

    Hello all, I’m a concerned parent that has 2 children who are now 25 and 21. My spouse and I are very concerned about our youngest, I’m sure we weren’t perfect parents and we could have done some things differently. Both were raised in the same way but were so different from each other from the very beginning. The oldest was a happier child that seem to make friends easily, the other seem unhappy from a very young age, although he was very intelligent he never did well in school. He had trouble concentrating and staying focused on any task, and because of it he would disrupt his class mates and the teacher would single him out and usually send him out of class. I think the other kids would tease him and bully him because of it. At first we thought his problems in school were behavioral but he was a good sweet kid at home. At a loss of what else to do we put him in a different school for his last couple years of preschool, although we found his new teachers better equipped he still seemed to have trouble focussing on tasks which continued through high school. We always new he was a special child, so intelligent! We aren’t stupid but never considered ourselves to have that level of intelligence. We have always been very proud of both our children but now our youngest child blame us for his feelings of depression. He is very analitica about every thing he takes interest in, I think to the extent of being obsessive and compulsive. He says that we weren’t terrible parents but something we did or didn’t do as parents has caused him to feel this way. He thinks he’s repressing something terrible that we did to him as a child. We tell him that we weren’t perfect but we did do the best we knew how at the time.
    He was loved, and was never abused in any way. I and some of my siblings have dealt with depression through our live’s and some of my parents siblings have dealt with depression and other mental illness’s. Is it possible that my son’s depression is due to hereditary reasons? Or did we do something wrong however small raising him that would cause him to feel depressed.

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    Renee

    October 7th, 2016 at5:30 PM

    Dear concerned , yes he may have a mental illness. I think our childhood does have some effect on our adulthood BUT living in the past & blaming our parents is pointless. My friend has admitted her mistakes & APPOLOGIZED & her son is still an ass to her!! People survived the holocaust & lead productive lives. I observe that it is easier to blame your parents than to admit you control your actions. I sincerely doubt you DID ANYTHING WRONG but we as parents still feel responsible,because we RAISED these humans.And yes I feel I’ve failed by doing too much for my kids, but its water under the bridge………im sure parents of murderers feel somehow responsible for their childs actions. When in reality EACH PERSON chooses their own path. We must all decide what we want from life.

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    Gabe

    May 8th, 2017 at9:03 PM

    He might have ADD. The best possible thing for him is to read the book “Driven to distraction.” It will resonate really well with him I believe. Please look into that book.

    Reply

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    hard to be a parent

    March 28th, 2014 at1:18 PM

    Interesting article. My daughter is 25 and blames me alot for her life not being where she wants it to be. I didn’t do this enough, I didn’t do that enough. I listen and try to support her, but also understand she needs to get help to work through this properly or she will be like one of my sisters who is now in her early 50’s and still is living out her childhood unhappiness. We were talking on the phone in the past 30 minutes about it and she had to go and has just texted me asking if we can talk about it later. I told her definitely yes, and we will. But blame doesn’t help – she needs to work through this so she can be happy in her own skin.

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    Sasha's

    June 22nd, 2014 at12:46 PM

    My two daughters are heroin addicts. holly 27 and jennifer 25. Jennifer blames me for everything wrong in her life, she is having an affair with a bum, he’s a heroin addict and she is being drug tested for almost dying from an overdose. He took her heroin to her job, my husband (her stepdad ) has made a promise to our granddaughter to always be there, never let her down, and my daughters knows this and thinks she can call me names while I am baby sitting her child for free…
    What happened to this generation of kids?
    I don’t know what to do.
    I am not speaking to her over her lies to me over everything. And I mean everything…she is jelous bc I’m talking to her husband and not her. He has been using and spending money. I told her he has helped you throughout this for 6 years and you need to help him get clean.
    Then she leaves her daughter here and drives (on a restricted license) to pick him up at a bar…
    Sends a pic of her in bed with him to her friend who was dating him!!!!
    Who does that???
    Please give me advice on how you would handle her and say to her…
    God bless and thanks for listening.

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    buddy

    April 3rd, 2014 at7:35 PM

    From the beginning I was without a dad I always got beat 3-6 I did sports and everything was left out a lot by family always got in trouble met nathan my step dad bought us everything always took care of us through the hard times but I feel like he changed my personality because of the way he treated me I feel like gaming unconditionally didn’t help and having friends kinda but I never had anyone or felt like it that I could talk to now im 20 and I cant think of anything I lost interest in sports shortly after meeting him lost touch with friends by moving back and forth I don’t feel like I ever cared about anything I don’t really have feelings but I cry because I cant get my life together I make myself thinking about bad experience I remember experience but I can’t think of anything I really can’t remember alot im just negative I don’t really think of anyone else how do I change when I dont know what to think and its hard to cate

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    Beverly Amsel, PhD

    April 5th, 2014 at11:41 AM

    I’d like to reply to Buddy. First, thank you for responding to my post. I hope this is a step in seeking help to get your life together. The best way I know to move forward in your life and get to know who you are ans what you think is to find a therapist to talk to. Even if you don’t believe this will help, I urge you to do it anyway. You can check the listings at goodtherapy.org for a therapist in your area or contact your local mental health association. I believe very strongly in the power of talking and I sincerely wish that you follow up on my suggestion.

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    Tammy

    April 6th, 2014 at6:53 AM

    My 38 year old son has been unemployed for 6 months, is bi-polar, gay, and in a relationship. He does not live near me and has issues with substance abuse in his past-not sure about the present. Recently he let loose with a diatribe of blame for all that is lacking in his life. I know he needs to change his focus and wear the man pants, get a job, take care of his health needs, and deal with his present situation so his future will be a positive one. How do I have this conversation with him while not alienating him? He does not take criticism well. He has cut us off before. His father is dead and they were not speaking so he got no closure there. I am remarried with an 11 year old. He does not like my husband. I would very much appreciate some advice and direction. How do you move an adult child into the future when they are so wrapped up in the problems of the past?

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    Leonor Pereira

    April 12th, 2014 at3:26 AM

    To Chris Laforest – thank you for a very insightful, well written response. I am learning to take “expert’s views” with a pinch of salt these days, as so often their work clearly is not helping their clients, and totally off the mark. Of course, in order to overcome trauma, and function in the world, we have to find a way to move on. And some how, we do so – with or without years of “expert counselling”. But suggesting that we somehow forget and move on without any acknowledgement of wrong doing, and expect that to have no impact on our psyche, or to remain with those with those who cause us pain is indeed dysfunctional. And as parents, whether we like it or not, we elected to bring human beings into this world and we are entirely responsible for providing them with a foundation on which to build the rest of their lives. A foundation that will shape their relationships, their inter-action with both their internal and external world, and we must acknowledge this too – a foundation with how the next generation – grandchildren, will flourish, or not. There is enough evidence out there to show how fundamental our influence as parents is to future generations. It does not end with our children folks, I wish people would consider that. Stop making excuses for bad and self-centred parenting. This is the information age and you are not living under a tree. Take responsiblity.

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    Leana Lyden

    April 12th, 2014 at9:27 AM

    Im 15 years old… I constantly find myself crying and angry because of my mom. I always say i hate her because i feel like age never supports me or loves me. I dont try to talk to her so she yells at me for example: her: You need to clean the dishes do them RIGHT NOW i dont want to hear it!!!! Me: What are you talking about? i didnt even say anything. You always call my name to do everything you never call anyone else ive done the dishes 4years in a row and havent missed a day im the only one that cleans and you dont even clean cause im the only one that does! her: SHUT YOUR MOUTH!! If i hear it again im gonna punch your face! So i just walk off into my room then she comes breaking my door and screaming at me. I barely want to talk to her because everything she has to say just turns into an argument. Ive gained alot of weight and i dont know why but she has to keep yelling at me saying “You sleep too much, you dont care about anyone but yourself thats why youre gaining weight your fat and stupid do you even go to class? Then why arent you smart?” She always brings me down. Ever since the divorce shes been taking all her anger out on me and hating me but spoils my little brothers and is a whole new person around my older siblings. I feel so lonely cause no one even wants to listen or care about me. I try taking sports and i made the cheerleading team yesterday but my mom said shes not paying for it not a penny. i would ask my dad but, He doesnt pick us up anymore and he changed his number. I dont know what to do so if she doesnt even want to pay for school, why not just drop out why not just leave everything just how everything left me. I dont treat anyone fair cause noone treats me fair.

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    Vicky

    August 14th, 2014 at11:54 AM

    Well my parents are not divorced but they are cold towards me and say the sme things your mum says to you….except the dishes part…. i think you should get a part time job and start paying for your own things…at least that what i was going to do if my country allowed 15 years old kids get a part time job…

    Reply

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    Beverly Amsel, PhD

    April 12th, 2014 at12:09 PM

    This is a post for Leana. Sounds like life is pretty tough for you now and it’s hard to imagine you would feel anything but angry, lonely and depressed. What worries me is that you are taking the anger out on yourself. Please don’t give up on yourself. You have a future in front of you and the decisions you make now are important. It’s great that you tried out for cheer leading and even greater that you made the team. Please see if there is any way you can get help at school so someone can speak with your mother so you can participate. Even if this won’t work, most important is to try to get help so you are not so alone with your situation and such difficult feelings. Is there a teacher or guidance counselor or a friend’s parent that you can turn to? If you could find someone to speak with, it could really help. The more you can find support and not have to endure your situation alone, the better. Don’t treat others the way you are being treated. You’ll end up not liking yourself and then continue to take it out on yourself. Please take this seriously. As difficult as life is now, you matter (a lot) and your future matters.

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    Carol B

    May 12th, 2014 at6:36 AM

    I have a 22 year old daughter that harbors ill feelings towards me. I am divorced from her dad and the divorce was my fault. She has a grandmother that fills her head full of things that I supposedly did and some are true but other things are not. We go in spurts of getting along and then something will set her off and she is hateful and angry. I’m at my wits end as to what to do about it or even if there is anything I can do. Everyone tells me it will get better with age. I certainly hope so.

    Reply

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    Ash

    June 26th, 2014 at8:52 AM

    Oh Carol, when I read your comment I honestly though, “Did I write this?”! My mother is toxic to me, and has been supporting (enabling) my addict (adult) daughter for two years now. I have tried everything to put a stop to this, but my mother is also a LIFE-LONG addict, that desperately needs another addict in her life at all times. She even went so far as to fly my daughter down to Texas (behind my back, and on Mother’s Day of all days), only to eventually leave her stranded there w/o a dime to her name. All because my daughter told her she didn’t want to stay with her, against my mothers wishes. (My daughter was frightened at the level of insanity my mother functions on, and I had done my best to worn her of her grandmothers “potential”, but I didn’t get “real” enough in those warnings apparently), I was still always protecting my mother, when believe me, I have NO reason to do so other than life long “conditioning, or training” by my mother I suppose. Of course I spent the 600+ to get her home, when I finaly got the “rescue me mommy” call and found out that she was in Texas. The entire past two years that my mother was keeping my daughters “head above water”, and drugs in her veins, she was telling my daughter “how bad I am to her”, and making things up that are OUTLANDISH and blatant lies! Now with my daughters drug use and all the terrible brainwashing (which wasn’t hard to do, mind you), I feel so powerless to help her…
    My daughter sends me barrages of text messages, blaming ME and the ENTIRE family for the state her life is in. I know it is not my fault, or the fault of anyone but herself, that she is an addict/thief/liar and danger to herself and others. It is just none the less hurtful and a terrible feeling to have these fantastic lies being thrown at you. I try my hardest to not let them “stick”, and I, and everyone outside of my mother and daughter know better than to buy into it. It just doesn’t feel good, and I empathize with you so wholeheartedly!!!
    I remain as strong as I can, and have to tell you, that it took cutting my mother completely out of my life to get even the slightest bit of normalcy. She hast stopped harassing me though, and my next step may have to be getting the authorities involved :(
    Best of luck to you my friend. You know who you are, so try your damnedest to stay above the fith that they throw at you, and take whatever steps necessary to make sure it doesn’t ruin your days, after all life is too short to miss out on the happiness WE DESERVE!!!

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    Beverly Amsel, PhD

    June 24th, 2014 at11:37 AM

    This is a reply to Sasha. I can see that your situation is very painful. I wish I had some advice to give, but your situation is very difficult and complicated so that I wouldn’t feel qualified to make any specific suggestions. I would recommend that you try to find someone to talk to either by yourself or if you could get your family involved that would be even better. You can look for someone at Goodtherapy.org or you can contact your local Mental Health Association.

    Reply

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    Leigh

    July 21st, 2014 at8:57 PM

    I blame my mother and step father for abuse. I demand that they see how it effected my life. “Blame” it’s called taking responsibility for your actions.

    And it’s not about hurting anyone… It’s about healing.

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    craig

    July 28th, 2014 at8:37 AM

    I’m 41 years old and my life hasn’t amounted to much. I grew up with my mother and a step father. I have always had a learning disability growning up my childhood was not to good my adulthood is not good at all. Growing up I could do no rite in my step dad’s eyes he was always puting me down, always yelling at me. Today when I’m around some one that’s starts to yell I clam up and freak out inside. I couldn’t do anything rite. He would scream at me and just send me to my room. there were times he had pined me down on the bed and was just slapping myface screeming at me I would have nightmares every night of my child hood. I have a older sister that in his eyes could do no wrong. He did everything nice for her she was smart and pretty. I was dumb and I thought I was ugly. No one told me any differant. I struggled in school so much I just could understand things. I remember trying so hard and I will get so mad at my self I would cry punch my self in my head, I was Avery angry and confused child. School just kept pushing me through and by the time I got to 10th grade I just gave up and stopped trying. I got kicked out of high school my first year for not going to class not having enough credits I don’t know, I didn’t understand really. My mother and step bad never thought me a thing about life, nothing. I blame them so much for were I am now, I could never hold a job always lying about having a diploma or GED just to get a job. Now I live with my mother and she can barely support her self in a house that’s falling to peaces I just don’t know what’s going to happen to me I have no job I have panic attacks, I am depressed, I feel so hopeless, I have a strong fear of dieing, my life is so empty and I blame it all on them. There is so much more to this but its just really hard to talk about. The hole time typing this I am crying.

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (61)

    The GoodTherapy.org Team

    July 28th, 2014 at8:43 AM

    Thank you for your comment, Craig. We wanted to provide links to some resources that may be relevant to you here. We have more information about what to do in a crisis at https://www.goodtherapy.org/in-crisis.html

    Warm regards,
    The GoodTherapy.org Team

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (62)

    Beverly Amsel, PhD

    July 28th, 2014 at1:08 PM

    This is a message for Craig. I urge you to follow up with the links that the good therapy team has provided you with. You can also contact your local mental health association or go to your nearest hospital emergency room. You have had so many awful experiences that it easy to understand why you are having such painful feelings. But, help is possible. You have what it takes to seek it, so please find help for yourself.

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (63)

    Esther

    July 29th, 2014 at11:41 PM

    Its always easy to say don’t blame others and forgive when you are not the one who experienced the pain and trauma. I’m a survivor of domestic abuse & childhood emotional abuse (my father is the pepetrator) since elementary school and it wrecked my pre-uni schooling years. I was ostracised at school because everyone could tell I was anxious, wierd and unhappy (because of what happens at home). I also have nightmares of running away from home and have sleepless nights after an episode of domestic violence because I feared my father will kill me and my mom. He had done multiple threats and attempts of family suicide and pointed knife at my mom in front of me every time there was a quarrel.

    When I was in junior high school I was already abusive towards animals – it makes me feel good seeing them suffering for some reason. I had no idea why I was like that and certainly had no clue I was going through abuse trauma. My parents were even more clueless and didnt know a thing that what they were doing was causing me real harm. Slowly over those years I begin to realize the truth of what I’ve been through and things got better for a while. Just as I thought everything is over, the years of emotional torment (fear, anxiety, depression) has put a toll on my emotional health. I’m only in my 20s and have PTSD and depression, and taking multiple leaves of absence for my university degree. My friends have all graduated but I’m still struggling to get through each stressful semester because I’m so fucking emotionally worn out I cant handle the stress of university life.

    Are you seriously telling me to not blame my parents after all the lost years I spent in misery? When everyone is enjoying their youth making friends, partying and whatnots, I’m struggling with fear, anxiety and having a hard time connecting with my own friends. (never had a single close friend these years) That’s almost 10 years of my life, for goodness sake. Now, I still need to go through university with this PTSD and depression, and I’m already feeling embarrassed that I am not achieving as much (socially and academically) as my friends who are now either working or doing a second degree and have tons of connections. I’m totally isolated from them now and can’t even find the courage to bond with people without feeling shameful about my past. Who am I supposed to blame for my failure and stupid life? I have always been working hard, that is why I could get into uni but still, my life is a piece of shit compared to that of friends brought up in healthy families.

    I will be blunt to say I hate my parents, my father for being the controlling, abusive man he was, and my mother for being the weak, ignorant fool for not stepping up and taking steps to protect me from the harm my father is bringing to me. I blame them for all my low self esteem among my friends and classmates because I cant even raise my head and talk about how wonderful my life is because I have a shitty family. I lower my head and keep quiet when people share about their wonderful social life because I have none of those as a person struggling with intimate relationships and anxiety problems. Thus, I have every right to blame and be angry at my parents because I didn’t choose my parents and couldn’t do anything to stop my life from spiralling downwards when I was but a mere kid. They don’t even deserve sympathy because none of their parents were abusive and I have no clue how my father became that insecure, abusive moron he was.

    I also applaud those who choose not to be parents because of their childhood because SERIOUSLY, if you are one unhealthy, immature person, you have no right to parent because you will only raise unhealthy, unstable children. My parents are foolish for parenting me when they couldn’t handle themselves like mature adults and then leaving me with a huge pile of trash to clean up now that I am in my adulthood. Don’t you come and tell me I shouldn’t blame my parents because they deserve it for what they have done to me.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (64)

    Valerie

    September 16th, 2014 at4:38 AM

    Esther, I read your comments and wanted to respond because your childhood sounds so tragically sad. I could hear the pain in your words and that it’s still hurting. That it hurts you every day. That it holds you back from the life you want to have. It sounds like a terribly rough start.
    When I read the piece about how blaming your parents hurts you as the abused child it made sense to me. My situation was more of neglect. I’ve held onto that sense of not being worth anyone’s time or notice for many years. I either hate myself or falsely push myself forward in awkward ways trying to be noticed and accepted. After years of trying these ways and failing and hating myself and my parents more I have started to let go of the damaging attachment and try some new ways of thinking and acting. It’s really hard work. Sometimes I slip back into old patterns. But overall it has helped me to quit blaming them not because they deserve it, they don’t. But because blaming them was hurting me. I have had to quit blaming them because it is an obstacle to living a better life.
    Also, I’m finding that many people who seem to have that better life have their own struggles from their own messed up childhoods. I firmly believe we are all “damaged goods”.
    I think it says a lot about your perseverance that you have kept working on your university degree at your own pace. Good for you! I hope you’ll find satisfaction in the achievement when it comes.
    Therapy helps. Tomorrow can be better. I hope you’ll keep trying and find a happier life.

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    john d.

    July 30th, 2014 at10:59 AM

    I understand the motive of stop blaming them. in my head. But my heart hears. “As always they won, and you lost ha.. you loser… Everyone believes they (parent) are the victim and all this is your fault so don’t blame anyone” for a long time I just longed for someone to say,I understand, I just wanted someone to be on my side for once. My father has a Narcissist trait and as a child it’s not nice living under that. He was very good at fooling others and even bring them to his side while abusing me. Sometimes I went to bed wondering or hoping I would die. Now that I am older they also are older and people make you believe you must support your parent. In my mind it sounds like this. “You lose again. Its always about them” or your parents are old you must support them. And when you don’t you look bad. I don’t hate my parents I just wish people would see beyond the narcissist cover and hold them accountable to their actions. I have a hard time believing in authority for that reason. I find it hard to believe authority can see the real truth. And abusers are such good actors. You (abused) lose – thus the reason many just suffer abuse than talk. I think abused people just want the abuser to be sorry and stop pretending. And people to stop passing false judgmenets. I think they just want someone to say. I am here, because they believe them not because they are being paid or forced. My experience/opinion. I understand the not blaming part. But like a house, without a good foundation it will crumble. Good article though.

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    Nida

    August 3rd, 2014 at7:12 AM

    Touche. Outstanding arguments. Keep up the
    good work.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (67)

    Christine

    August 4th, 2014 at3:30 PM

    I understand Gloria. I was that girl. For myself I have overcame a lot of hurt and pain and made a new life for my family and I. Like Gloria, my mom never believed in my also. She also told me I was not popular enough to run for student council in high school. I didn’t listen to her and ran anyways. I didn’t win. However, I’m proud of myself because I ran, made signs all by myself and the race was close. I did it because I wanted too. My mom lived through my sister who was popular and did everything for her. In high school, a lot of my afterschool time was spend at my sisters games. My mother was at everything and did everything for my sister. She was popular and had designer clothes. Back to school shopping I dredded. I had the clearance and sale clothes and I was the older sibling. My sister got designer and fancy sports gears. My junior year of high school I got a boyfriend so he occupied my time. I was the president of the a club at school and my mother didn’t even care. I taught myself about the birds and the bees and when I got my first period my own mother didn’t even talk with me but shunned me away. She didn’t have to worry about that with my sister because she is gay and was never into boys. My mom is gay too. I learned from libray books and the school nurse gave me pads. Sounds odd. Emotionally she was never there for me. She was there for family get togethers, parties and the other family but not her own family, as she walked out and left my dad and wanted to return. After he laid down rules and what he didn’t want so he wouldn’t be hurt again, she sent all bills and bankruptcy to him. She never once apolgized to him or our family and to this day has not. She lives with my sister with her mom (my grandma). She can’t afford to live on her own. Recently, my mom got upset and my child for drawing on their sidewalk with sidewalk chalk and made her wash it off. Reason, It’s too messing. I love my mom, but there are many things I don’t want to be. I don’t want to be that controlling parent where everything has to be perfect and organized. Let the kids make a mess and make memories all while having fun. I was never allowed to play with paint, make homemade play dough. I don’t have memories of going to the park with my family, regular. We did more things with nephews and nieces than just our immediate family. I forgive but not forgotten so I can use these experiences to help me grow and be stronger for my kids and be there for them emotionally and have strong bonds. I know how Gloria felt.

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    Sara G.

    September 7th, 2014 at12:35 PM

    As a parent dealing with grown children who are quick to state that they are embarrassed about the financial situation they were raised in to every parenting flaw and imperfection they perceive in me as a parent. Let me remind each of you that no child comes with an instruction manual and becoming a parent does not wipe out all those human flaws or problems you have as a person. You do the best you can with the money and resources emotionally and mentally you have at the time and pray that it all works out. At some point as you grow. You need to accept that your parents are flawed humans and as adults it is now up to you to finish what they started. Look to the positive things that they were able to bring to the table and try to understand and show compassion for their flaws

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    Beth

    September 16th, 2014 at10:59 AM

    Sara, I love that name. I’ve always dreamed of having a daughter of my own and naming her Sara. I was too terrified to have a family of my own after my own and my brothers childhood. You’re the parent, I’m speaking as the adult child. Your daughter sounds like my brother. I’I would, could never sopenly scorn my parents. I love and forgive them no matter what. There were good times, they were doing the. best they could never(people usually are) and my plan was to improve upon what they’d improved upon as a parent myself. Compassion is key to straightening out that problem of being “stuck”. Fortunately I’ve finally found effective therapy that has given me my life back. Unfortunately I’m now beyond my childbearing years and so there’s a real sense of loss there. My mother discouraged me from becoming a parent, as if. I’d fail if I tried. I shouldn’t have believed that. Now I don’t have a daughter of my own. Some people resist therapy. Not me. I just found the right help little too late to still have a family of my own. Good for you, speaking up for the parents side of this issue. My mother was suffering. Only someone in a lot of pain would damage, almost irrepairably, their own children. Forgive but don’t forget-and don’t miss out on your own lives, ladies!!!

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (70)

    Christine

    August 4th, 2014 at7:37 PM

    Leethegirl, I know how you feel. I understand I may never get an apology from my mother for the hurtful things she has said and had done. Like your mother, my mother denies and saids she forgot. Seems to be an excuse of an answer. Yes it makes me more upset at her but I don’t like feeling like that so I push hard to not feel that way. Yes my mom has done great things for the family but she has done a lot of hurt. She does more for the extended family who do absolutely nothing to help her and still owe her money. My mom is good at parties, get togethers, and being positive, but if you ask her a straight out blunt question, she avoids you, walks out of the room and/or change the subject. My mom will never admit to wrongdoing and come off as businesslike to even family to “take responsiblity for their behavior and accept an apology. However, she does not do that for anyone. I use to think I needed to apology and it was my fault but it’s not. My mom is partly to blame. I don’t think I owe her an apology but think she should give one to me and the rest of the immediate family. BUT, I understand I won’t ever get an apology for past actions or recent actions from my mom so I let it go.

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    Donna

    August 10th, 2014 at12:53 PM

    My daughter has not only blamed me and her father for her situation,but she will deliberately make us feel guilty,and totally responsible for her bad behavior. She’s an open book when it comes to relationships,and most of the time over the top with her actions.If she feels wronged,She is relentless,and will make that persons life a living hell.She doesn’t seem to know when enough is enough. She will beat a dead horse.I’ve known many of men who have felt her wrath.But not just men.friends and family as well.My hands are tied.I’m not a physician,but I feel she should see one. I’ve suggested support groups,and counseling,but she feels there’s nothing wrong with her.”It’s everyone else” She has an autistic little boy who takes a lot out of her,and she feels that if she had never had him,Her life would be so much better.She feels men just want sex,and will do and say anything just to get laid.Maybe that’s just how they are these day’s.But she blames me for not letting her know that men behave in this manner. She wants to be loved and to have a family,But she will sabotage any relationship before it get’s off the ground.She want’s it all now,and doesn’t understand that they have lives outside of dating.She can be at times a living nightmare,Especially if you’re on the receiving end.

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    Juliet McGrath

    August 30th, 2014 at2:48 PM

    She sounds like my daughter. They should meet.

    Reply

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    Hinnant

    August 12th, 2014 at6:12 AM

    In my family the lack of empathy was from behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia. Many times, parents are cold and uncaring from a problem that may affect you later.

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (74)

    SB

    September 5th, 2014 at9:15 AM

    Hanging onto blaming your parents will get you no-where. In my case my parents are definitely at fault for a number of issues I struggle with today but if you hold onto it, it will destroy you inside. It’s up to you whether you choose to forgive and forget or completely remove them from your life. There is no right or wrong answer here it’s entirely up to you. So don’t beat yourself up if what you decide to do is different from the advice your seeing here. I chose the forgive and kind of forget option but I’m so scared from crap parenting skills I never want to have children and possibly put them through the same turmoil as I went through

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    Karen

    September 17th, 2014 at5:08 PM

    My story is a little different. My parents were good people. They took good care of me. They weren’t very demonstrative though so I decided when I had my girls I would hug them and tell them how much I loved them. Their dad and I separated when they were 12and 11. I got custody. I didn’t date anyone for two years though their dad found a woman and lived with her. He kept breaking into my home and grilled our oldest daughter about me. The third year I started dating and my oldest daughter began to be very obnoxious. I finally got mad at her and sent her to her fathers. She ended up staying there for a year and I talked her into coming home. She started running with a bad crowd. To make a long story short she is now thirty with two kids. The youngest child is living with her father. The oldest one and my daughter was living with a decent guy that threw her out. She does drugs. Drinks and doesn’t take good care of her son. She was living with me and recently threatened to hurt me physically. I had to have her removed from my house. She blames me for everything and the worst thing I did was maybe love her too much. I don’t understand this. I read these other stories and feel so bad for these neglected, abused and unloved children who are now adults. But here I am being blamed by my daughter. I don’t drink or do drugs. Her father however drinks quite a bit. But she don’t blame him. I just feel lost in a nightmare!

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    Rebecca

    September 19th, 2014 at11:38 AM

    It sounds so easy to just stop blaming your parents – it implies that all the responsibility rests with you now because you have reached adulthood. But it’s not as simple as that. Sometimes the hurt has been so deep and the consequences so devastating that there isn’t going to be much of a recovery, or for some people one at all.

    I suppose I should consider myself lucky to have survived to adulthood when some children don’t. What I have grappled with for the past 20 years though is having had a severe mental illness as a consequence of the ‘parenting’ that I had. My mother in particular has been in denial and it took her 20 years to admit that my stepfather had kept pushing my head underwater when washing my hair as a young child.

    During my childhood I used to dream that one day I would be free as an adult to make something of my life. I didn’t know that the fallout from the emotional trauma would be so great, that I wouldn’t be able to realise those dreams.

    I have gone through times when I have wanted to stop contact with my parents, who to the outside world are considered charming and pleasant. And yes, they are mostly pleasant to be with now as they are happily living in affluent retirement. But faced with so much stigma from other people at being guilty of rejecting my own parents, I caved in and kept in touch with them and thought I should try and work on the relationship with them. What a mistake! As I’m now nearing 50 I realise how used emotionally I have been. When they ring the conversation will inevitably focus on them and their concerns – they have been using me for emotional support for as long as I can remember. I kept hanging on because it was so awfully painful to acknowledge that they actually rejected me as a child, and favoured my siblings that I couldn’t really come to terms with it.

    Yes I blame my parents because their emotional abuse and emotional neglect damaged over 20 years of my adulthood. As to how to stop being a victim and stop blaming – well them acknowledging responsibility for the damage caused to my mental health would be a start not to mention the loss of a career etc. I think though that what I’m realising as I write this, is that no one has the right to make me feel guilty for wanting to stop contact with them and no one has the right to pressure me into maintaining contact. Sometimes people expect too much.

    Forgiveness can be good to practise and I have tried very hard, but I think it’s about time people forgave me for not wanting them in my life.

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    Lizzy

    September 23rd, 2014 at6:12 AM

    I don’t want to be angry at my parents for my abuse. But it’s only in the last year I could really admit to it.

    I am not angry at my dad. He has rage issues caused by is own anxiety caused by, I am guessing, his own abuse. I know I have a lot of bad thought patterns and a good deal of my dysfunctional behaviors stem from physical abuse and being called worthless when he was angry.

    I am dealing with more anger toward my mom. I am 30 and have spent years trying to please her and take care of her. I thought one day, when I needed her, she would be there for me. Well, I have had a number of times in the last year where I needed her. When I was upset about layoffs she told me my feelings were inappropriate and to see a therapist. When I dated someone and was open with her about the relationship she was extremely critical of me, him, and the relationship. I told her I was upset that she didn’t support me and she said, “what do you need support for, I am the one who needs support”. She became angry and resentful when I tried to make friends, when I didn’t immediately meet her needs.

    Therapy is changing our relationship and she is angry and resentful toward me. She keeps telling me I have abandoned her. And asking me if I talked to the therapist about her, that doing so would be a betrayal to her and the family. I feel hurt and somewhat betrayed. I put this woman at the center of my life for 30 years. Now I find that doing so caused much of my dysfunction. Honestly, I really don’t know if she loves me. She certainly loves the things I do for her. But I realize she has never cared about my feelings or my life unless it directly affects her. And that she has always expecte me to put her feelings above my own. There are a lot of hurtful things she has said in the last year. She is very angry at me. I don’t want to be mad at her, but I keep feeling anger and hurt creeping in. I know she is going through a hard time herself but I can’t help but see aspects of our relationship as lies.

    I have been suicidal. I realize how bad our relationship is when I realize that when I am down, I avoid contacting her because I am not strong enough to interact with her. I could never call her for help. Based on how she treated sisters who have had psychological and emotional issues, I don’t think she would believe my issues and would make fun of me behind my back.

    It’s hard not to be sad and angry that some of my loneliness comes from that relationship

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    Bradley

    September 23rd, 2014 at9:03 PM

    Chris Laforest, the last part of what you said is really true for me. I’m 23, didn’t like my university course and have had trouble finding something i’d like to do since, just having a couple of dead end jobs here and there, long hours, crappy management inevitably making things worse. My parents have been highly anxious since the day i decided i didn’t want to stay on at uni, if not before that, i could of always done better or was never doing enough towards school. I was more than anxious about telling them i wasn’t sure about my course and so waited for them to find out. I’ve always been a bit anxious in general and i’ve not known exactly what i want to do since i was a kid, i used to say everything, im pretty observant and fascinated by pretty much anything in 1 way or another. I was pretty smart at school whilst still having a good social life (really good at distracting me) and i’m really good at distracting myself and appearing more happy than i am. One big anxiety is that people will just think im a sad loser, no one likes someone who’s miserable so i always have and still do cover that up, even to my parents. My parents aren’t too compassionate and when none of us have things playing on their minds, we all get along really well. This leads them to not say or ask much about how i feel and what i’m thinking about doing etc so when it comes to talking about what i’d like to do and how i can progress it’s a very tense situation for something i already find a BIG mental block with already. I always make a point that i’m not blaming them id just like them to be more compassionate and loving rather than make it sound like the biggest deal and that i must be so abnormal. Alas they always argue that it is abnormal and i am blaming them and to them its like i just “get defensive” because i don’t want to do anything and blah blah blah and all the usual things from struggling parents who don’t know what to do. I tell them pretty much directly, i do have feelings and that if they could just leave the angst etc and not make sarcastic remarks or give me funny looks and think from my perspective and stuff i’d feel 100x better. But they say they have the right or they can’t help it or i should look at it from their shoes and all that stuff and it’s me not doing anything that causes them to be like that.
    Basically, i just want their love and support to help me do the things i’d like to do, fill me with confidence, pick me up, make me feel good about myself etc. But they get angry and worked up by it to the point where it’s never easy to talk about. They 100% ignore the way i feel and just look at it as a matter of, i need to just do something. I can’t dismiss the way i feel and this will be a long road if they don’t change the way they handle it. I do not and cannot just forget about them and leave or whatever, i’d be even more depressed. I want my parents to understand and have some compassion for the difficulty i’m having and always have had. They’ve always relied on someone else doing it, “go and speak to someone who knows what they’re doing” is a common thing to hear from them now that i don’t have as many friends (they have said some hurtful things in the heat of the moment and apologised the same day but any mention of it now and its not sorrow i feel). I just want their love and empathy more than anything, it’s worth a million other peoples. I don’t know how to get around their angst about the whole matter though :( and i’ve probably gone on more than enough now. thanks if anyone got this far.

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    Bradley

    September 23rd, 2014 at11:25 PM

    To add, a good example i remember from when i was younger, i always found it difficult to sleep, i just couldn’t stop thinking about stuff and then early teens, maybe a bit younger, i suffered from weird things like false awakenings and sleep paralysis, fairly consistently. A common thing was knowing when i go to sleep i’ll wake up in 10 minutes because of it. For a kid though, being pushed/pulled around your bed and things walking in when you thought you we’re awake and paralysed or something weird was pretty scary. I quickly learnt to get-over-it though, and it was just more of a hassle than anything. It was still pretty fearful, i just had good control of it, if that makes sense. This carried on up until university, at which point i found it pretty cool and tried to understand it better, albeit less common. The getting to sleep was made more of a problem because i’d miss my alarms for school so a lot of rushing to get the bus, maybe my parents just didn’t handle it very well. They wouldn’t really believe that i just struggled to get to sleep, it was too often. Because of being a kid i don’t think i thought to speak much about the getting to sleep past the point that i was struggling. Overall, today, i get the impression my parents think i want to be some slob and this is all my decision etc, when it’s not and i tell them. i have so many things i want to do in fact it’s difficult deciding what to do and i’d like their help. That’s pretty much where the mental block comes in with what do i do. But i can never get to that with them because emotions get the better of things or they say, “just do anything” which is not helping. For someone who finds it hard to open up to them, it makes it harder in fact, and i tell them this. I feel strong minded though, and i’ve never given up anything easily, i’m not going to cave in, as much as i think sometimes it might be easier to be dead, i know im better than that even at the time. I know people will say “go speak to someone, it sounds like you have lots more to say” but typing in this white box is much easier than going to a professional to potentially find someone i’m not happy with or just to be put on some pill, which i will not do without good reason, and much convincing. I want to talk about how i feel, but with my parents; friends are great, but there’s only so much they can do past the point of understanding and talking about each others difficulties. I honestly feel that the most understanding parents have the happiest children, i can’t just say that to my parents though, my mum isn’t the hardiest and would feel awful. I’ve said nothing and she has assumed before that she is just a terrible parent or whatever and i always reassure her that’s wrong because i am clever, i do care about people and everything, i believe in good moral and ethics, but it as if it’s forgotten when next time it’s back to, all my fault and “i just don’t want to do anything”. I feel better just typing this, sorry for the wall of text, this was only meant to be the story about my troubled sleeping patterns. Thanks again anyone reading. Much love.

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    Cole Brooks

    September 28th, 2014 at2:44 PM

    What 40 year old divorced parent wrote this. All of this is just a confidence booster for the parent when it is supposed to help the teenager asking for help. You really need to figure out who you are trying to help!

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    Pauline

    September 28th, 2014 at11:52 PM

    I really do empathize with this girl. Growing up under parents who do nothing but belittle and abuse you, has a huge impact on one’s self image. Both of my parents were mentally-ill addicts. My mother is a manipulative, cold, sociopath who delights in crushing people that she can’t control. She couldn’t manipulate me, so I became her scapegoat and bore the brunt of her abuse. She abused me physically and sexually as a small kid and then mentally and emotionally after that.
    My father was a drunken weakling who couldn’t find a willing woman to start a family with, so he went on a vacation back to the “old country” when he was 35, and screwed and married his 20 year old 2nd cousin (my mother) and got her a green card in the US.
    He was also very belittling of me and every little accomplishment I earned at school and in life. He was a weird guy who on one hand was very judgmental and moralistic, but on the other hand was kind of perverted, almost pedophilic, in violating normal father-daughter boundaries. I wasn’t allowed to have friends or do much outside of the house. Neither of my parents had any empathy. I was deathly ill alot as a kid, but rarely went to the doctor, and never got any nurturing or care from either of them. I basically ran from their house when I was 18 and they stalked, threatened and harassed me for almost a year, just because I told them to go to hell and I left.

    It was a very bizarre childhood, and it scarred me until I was in my late 20s. As a teen I was unloved, withdrawn, suicidal, and miserable. At 28, I decided to hell with them. I decided they could drop dead and that would be fine with me. I changed my name, made sure they couldn’t find my address, or how to contact me. And I dropped off the face of their earth. It was easy to do really, they never offered me any emotional or financial support. So I wasn’t “losing” much.

    ….And that’s when I was able to take control of myself and my life. And things got so much better. I felt empowered and I was finally able to realize my potential to do something with myself. I still ABSOLUTELY “blame” them for what they did to me and for their selfishness and abuse. But I’ve realized that I deserve to succeed and have a good life, and I am responsible for that.

    Every once in a while an extended family member will see me in public and run up to me and tell me how “terribly” I’ve hurt them by cutting them out of my life. I tell them every time, “I don’t owe those abusers anything.” And then I walk away.

    Escaping from an abusive family (even if the abuse is limited to psychological/emotional) is alot like escaping a cult. People who haven’t been thought it, can’t understand it.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (82)

    beeets

    October 16th, 2014 at8:49 AM

    I get where this article is coming from, and I have been trying very hard to forget my parents, what helps me is to act as if they are already deceased. One bad thing that really plagues me, is when my confidence falls for any reason, I feel this unrelenting sense that I am being pursued, that literally someone is at my back trying to touch me, specifically my genitals, neck, and arms, and in my mind it’s my parents trying to literally subdue me. Then as many people with bad parents can relate to, those negative voices inside your head, ARE your parents’ voices. It can be something as little as dropping a spoon, then there they are instantly screaming at you about how bad you are, and how much they need to take control over you. I literally feel as if I have to physically run away, or fight someone off, but cannot, and all that fear just floods me and I can get really violent, I can’t be around people when this happens. I was molested sexually, abused emotionally and physically for 20 years before I realized something was wrong with my parents, and not me. My parents are still alive, and although I have confronted them many times about their abuses, they scream and shout that they are good people and if I’d just go back to being that compliant girl. They literally urge me to forget what they did, they mock me for remaining angry at them. They never apologized, they were very careful never to apologize. They continue to try to manipulate and molest, and insist total control over me, and pretend I’m the abusive one when I don’t jump at their demands. Literally, mom would do things just to make me jump, her actions had no purpose other than to make me jump, just because she liked to see me jump because of her. Dad claims he has a right to my body because I’m his daughter.

    I told my mom in our last “talk,” that if she won’t take responsibility for her actions towards me as a child and young adult, she will not take responsibility for my life’s accomplishments. She didn’t like that. I feel as if it’s unfair, terrifically unfair that they get to assume my accomplishments as their own when they did everything they could to bring me down and break my spirit. So, I do not tell her anything about myself. Literally, when she asks, I tell her that I’m not going to talk to her. I explain to her again that she does not have absolute power over me, and I choose to not explain my life to her, my choices, anything about myself. She didn’t like that either, and I got shoved into the corner for denying her, held there, and screamed at for multiple occasions. If you can think about how a tiger looks at it’s prey, that’s how my mother looks at me. She literally on multiple occasions looked at me, said, “You know I love you, right?” and laughed. It’s very hard to see this thing as human, let alone a victim of her own life circumstances. It seems to me, that if she’s just “transferring” the abuse that she suffered as a child and young adult, would that mean that if I ever have kids, and I abuse them, do I get off the hook too? It doesn’t make sense to me. I continue to deny her access to me or my life, but damn does she try to get at me, and that’s besides the inner voices that sound like her, she really does continue to try to get to me in real life. She doesn’t love, she just WANTS.

    When she turns around and blames me for the abuses I accuse her for, she then considers the argument “won,” for some reason, and she attempts to make our relations go back to the way they were. She has this ability to speak into reality her own truths, ones that benefit her, and she used to do this and I used to fall for it, because of religious reasons I really thought submitting to my parents wholly was what made me a good person. So she’d put on this voice of what I assume she thought an authority figure sounds like, and she’d speak her own version of reality as if she was speaking absolute truth. I told her, she just wants me to lower my guard so she can continue the same old abuses without the nuisance of an uncooperative victim. Literally, she is like a predator. She never stops trying to dominate and control. I said to her one day, “Love is not control,” and she said with her authority voice, “Sometimes it is.”

    Some people tell me, “Well, when she was loving, wasn’t she really loving?” I have to correct them and say that this kind of behavior from her was so normal and consistent growing up, that I thought it was love. I know no one believes me when I say this, but I literally was taught to be disgusted and reviled at how other people relate to each other, that what the rest of the world considered love was actually a weakness, to the point now where I distrust any kind of affection. Now that I’ve come to realize and give a label to mom, as manipulative, she’s kind of ruined me completely, and I think in a way she wanted that to happen, as if she was transferring abuse from herself to me, so she could be rid of it.

    It’s not easy when you were raised exclusively like this, and it took me twenty years, right after college, to realize this wasn’t normal or good, and it’s like being a baby in a twenty-year old’s body. I feel very much alone, I feel very much pursued to be used and consumed, and I do contemplate suicide as relief from this constant fear. It’s actually very scary for people to tell me, “Well you just gotta open up to others and just do it, you MUST do it, you must learn to love!” because my whole life under my parents was being used and forced to do things like I was a ragdoll. I really just very much want to be rid of them, first, if anything, I want them dead and gone, and I want others to know how they are, because another aspect of the abuse was that they were perfect people in public. My mom’s been a Catholic youth minister for two decades now. Everyone loves them. Life was so drastically different in the house. No one believes me, or if they do beleive me, their loyalty to my parents is much stronger than any pity they’d have for someone my parents don’t consider human.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (83)

    Beverly Amsel, PhD

    October 17th, 2014 at1:41 PM

    This is a response to beets
    The description of your experience with your parents illustrates the enormous difficulties you have had to overcome in your life. Not only are you describing abuse, but by showing a completely opposite face to the world, your parents added to your feelings of helplessness, hopelessness and confusion.
    You seem to have managed to understand a great deal about your experience and be somewhat able to put the responsibility for your treatment on your parents rather than on yourself. This is one of the most difficult things to accomplish: to really accept you are not at fault for the horrific treatments you had to endure.
    I understand, given your life history, why it feels so hard to love. This is something you should be able to have in your future. For now, it is good to accept your own feelings and not feel pushed by others who are trying to be helpful but may be unable to appreciate that this takes time and work and can’t occur just because you (or they) would wish it to.
    If you have not yet sought out therapy, I strongly encourage you to do so. You can use the goodtherapy.org website or seek out someone through the mental health organizations in your community. I take very seriously when you state that you contemplate suicide. I hope you will take it seriously too and treat yourself better than your parents do by getting the help you need and deserve.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (84)

    Esther

    October 20th, 2014 at2:32 PM

    @Valerie:

    Thank you for your comments and encouragement. Yeah, the more I realize how tragic my childhood had been, the more upset and angry I get and the more I cannot stop myself from blaming them.

    I deeply suspect that my father has some sort of mental illness and my mom has some personality disorder. He’s always suspicious of people and thinks the worst of them. What makes me sick now is the fact that despite all the emotional swings, they keep asking me to just change my mindset and move on. I try to tell them I’m angry because I read that many people going through abuse suffer well into their adulthood and it can affect their relationships and even marriage, but guess what their response is? Mom: “That’s nonsense.” Father: “Stop believing what is on the net, its not good. Look mom, they’re trying to ruin our relationship with our child.”

    Like WTF? To them, survivor abuse stories like the ones shared on here and their actual suffering is nonsense and non-existent and the internet are full of people trying to ruin my relationships with my parents. That is their fucking view on this whole topic and they brush off their actions as an example of care and concern and something normal in every family. Like how the fuck am I supposed to stop blaming them when they can’t even live up to the fact that they are abusing me even if they don’t mean to do so? They don’t even believe that they have caused me enough harm to render it as abuse and my effing father skew everything as bad according to his distorted viewpoint of the world.

    None of what I’m going through is normal and I know this because I have the courage to read up about what others are going through, but my effing parents don’t read up about anything to help me. They go on life as per normal, and yeah thank God the domestic violence and abuse stopped, but they disregard every bit of suffering I’m going through NOW for THEIR past actions. And I’m supposed to stop blaming them and forgive despite their nonchalant attitude? How is this fair when I lost a job offer from an internship, gave up honors degree because I’m mentally exhausted and 5 years into university and still haven’t graduated? AND ALL OF THIS IS BECAUSE I’M STILL SUFFERING THE AFTERMATHS OF A WARTORN CHILDHOOD?

    Not to mention what I’ve been through in my youth and the lost years of joy, I’m just so fucked up and frustrated I feel like ending my effing life. Seriously, I wonder why people with mental illness and personality disorders can have the right to have children. Why isn’t there a law to prohibit such people from marrying so they don’t bring harm to an innocent generation?

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (85)

    Kevin

    November 3rd, 2014 at8:55 AM

    Esther, if you wish to be happy, remember the four most important words;
    “All emotions are optional”,
    Your brain, through belief in these words, and with practice, can make any choice it wants.
    Your parents had bad parents. Your childhood sadly was very likely better than your parents childhood. That thought alone is important.
    Think we’ll, you eventually will realize that you have always been I n total control of your thoughts. The brain is Powerful.
    Kevin

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (86)

    Esther

    October 20th, 2014 at2:34 PM

    @Valerie:

    Thank you for your comments and encouragement. Yeah, the more I realize how tragic my childhood had been, the more upset and angry I get and the more I cannot stop myself from blaming them.

    I deeply suspect that my father has some sort of mental illness and my mom has some personality disorder. He’s always suspicious of people and thinks the worst of them. My mom, on the other hand, is just one emotionally detached and cold stone and I could be crying out my lungs out of grief and she would just sit there and do what she is addicted to. What makes me sick now is the fact that despite all the emotional swings, they keep asking me to just change my mindset and move on. I try to tell them I’m angry because I read that many people going through abuse suffer well into their adulthood and it can affect their relationships and even marriage, but guess what their response is? Mom: “That’s nonsense.” Father: “Stop believing what is on the net, its not good. Look mom, they’re trying to ruin our relationship with our child.”

    Like WTF? To them, survivor abuse stories like the ones shared on here and their actual suffering is nonsense and non-existent and the internet are full of people trying to ruin my relationships with my parents. That is their view on this whole topic and they brush off their actions as an example of care and concern and something normal in every family. Like how am I supposed to stop blaming them when they can’t even live up to the fact that they are abusing me even if they don’t mean to do so? They don’t even believe that they have caused me enough harm to render it as abuse and my effing father skew everything as bad according to his distorted viewpoint of the world.

    None of what I’m going through is normal and I know this because I have the courage to read up about what others are going through, but my effing parents don’t read up about anything to help me. They go on life as per normal, and yeah thank God the domestic violence and abuse stopped, but they disregard every bit of suffering I’m going through NOW for THEIR past actions. And I’m supposed to stop blaming them and forgive despite their nonchalant attitude? How is this fair when I lost a job offer from an internship, gave up honors degree because I’m mentally exhausted and 5 years into university and still haven’t graduated? AND ALL OF THIS IS BECAUSE I’M STILL SUFFERING THE AFTERMATHS OF A WARTORN CHILDHOOD?

    Not to mention what I’ve been through in my youth and the lost years of joy, I’m just so messed up and frustrated I feel like ending my effing life. Seriously, I wonder why people with mental illness and personality disorders can have the right to have children. Why isn’t there a law to prohibit such people from marrying so they don’t bring harm to an innocent generation?

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (87)

    Lara

    October 22nd, 2014 at2:34 PM

    OMG Esther, you have had a hard life. Nobody deserves that sort of treatment. Know this: your feelings, thoughts and opinions MATTER and are true. Your parents don’t deserve your time or energy. If I were you I would severely limit exposure to them; they sound absolutely toxic! Mothers Day and Fathers Day must be very hard for you. I hate how our society reveres parents even if they do a shitty job. Merely reproducing does not make you a selfless saint. I feel angry just thinking about your parents and I don’t even know you!

    Read M. Scott Peck’s ‘The People of the Lie’, it talks about evil parents who inflict abuse/neglect on their children and never take responsibility for it. Find a good therapist. If you can’t afford one, try talking to therapists in training. In addition to therapy, you can also join a support group such as ACA (Adult Children of Alcoholics) who accept adult children of dysfunctional families, not just alcoholics.

    I wish I had been as aware of the trauma of my family of origin as you are when I was your age. It wasn’t until I turned 38 that I began to see very clearly how f***ed up my parents were. I swore I would never have children so as to stop the cycle of abuse.

    I am seeing a great therapist and have the love of a wonderful man, but I haven’t yet released my anger towards my parents. My anger is instructive and I am working to have it manifest in productive ways, learning how to express it in a non-destructive fashion so as to not hurt others, while feeling heard and understood.

    To this day, my family sees me as the problem. I am the oldest child, very intelligent (read: too smart for my own good) who was not shy about speaking my mind, which resulted in a great deal of rage from my alcoholic parents. They parentified me, invalidated me, and competed with me. I chose a completely different career (law) to appease my father when he refused to support my decision to follow in his footsteps as an engineer. I wasted decades of my life and energy to please them, hoping they would finally love me. When I moved back to their town, I was labeled a prodigal daughter and all but turned away. I struggled for years wondering what was wrong with me, carrying around their voices in my head saying I was difficult (read: unlovable). My brothers were trained to blame me, also.

    I own my life and my choices now and have healthy and loving relationships. I’m Me and finally free. I don’t think its even necessary for me to forgive my parents for being so unrepentantly clueless. They were immature and self-centered as young parents and I don’t see much growth in them now, as they age. My mom is a textbook covert narcissist, my father emotionally unavailable. They still feel justified in abusing me. Their lack of remorse, lack of awareness and lack of desire to address their own shortcomings, and feeling completely justified in blaming me for the chaos of our household is proof enough that I am right and continue to be right. Trust me, I would rather be wrong, but its delusional to pretend they loved me with all their hearts and “did the best they could” (barf) when they were so willing to sacrifice my mental and emotional health by scapegoating me to alleviate their guilt. They are evil and I feel fortunate to have escaped.

    Learn how to give yourself the nurturing love you never received as a child. Allow yourself to make mistakes and grow and learn at whatever pace you are comfortable with. Its going to be hard, but you can’t truly love another if you don’t love yourself and you need to trust yourself in order to trust another so you can be truly vulnerable in love. Its such a gift to be able to finally feel and express my emotions, knowing it is safe to do so and trusting that I am loved enough that it won’t be used against me. I hope you find that freedom.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (88)

    Esther

    October 23rd, 2014 at3:54 AM

    @Lara

    “If I were you I would severely limit exposure to them; they sound absolutely toxic!”

    Oh yes they are toxic! I didn’t realize that until I started seeing the damage their actions inflicted on me. I live in Asia where children don’t become financially independent until uni graduation, and as a woman I have no support from anyone other than them. The toxicity level has decreased greatly already these one or two years, but its still there you’re right. And what can a helpless child like me do to keep out the toxic influences? Absolutely nothing!

    Worse thing is, Asian society don’t speak up against abusive parenting. They don’t even recognize it for what it is. In general, everyone is selfish and don’t really care to defend the helpless and vehemently condemn abuse on children. People will keep their distance if they think you are brought up in a violent family, and then the abused kid is left all by himself or herself to struggle through life. I still remember the domestic violence was so severe in my family at times that even the police came to our house, yet NOTHING was done to check on whether there is active abuse in the house. This is all but part of the reason I am SO F***ING ANGRY at everything in my life.

    “I wish I had been as aware of the trauma of my family of origin as you are when I was your age.”

    Well, I really don’t know if this knowledge is a blessing or a curse. Before I knew about the trauma, I already made the conscious decision to forgive my parents. This was because of my faith. But only now did I know my forgiveness brought no complete healing to my life. I am now prone to depression and mood swings, all taking emotional tolls on me on top of what I have already experienced.

    “I swore I would never have children so as to stop the cycle of abuse.”

    I not only don’t want to have children, I want no relationship with ANY MAN, no matter how loving they may appear. I know given my current condition I am going to find partners who only are similar to my father, so why burden myself with more toxic relationships? I would rather die alone than take the risk.

    “I am seeing a great therapist and have the love of a wonderful man, but I haven’t yet released my anger towards my parents. My anger is instructive and I am working to have it manifest in productive ways, learning how to express it in a non-destructive fashion so as to not hurt others, while feeling heard and understood.”

    I am happy for you that you have a good relationship, and hope that this will help you heal better. (I believe it does) I am not so optimistic about my own relationship, I’ve had enough of the bullshit in my life I’m not going to give anyone the right to enter into my life with more bullshit to throw at me. Never had a boyfriend and never will, to hell with marriage and courtship.

    And I doubt I can grow out of my anger so easily, if you just consider how much I am losing out on life. I have become the laughingstock among my peers, all because I was oppressed by two people who call themselves parents but never educated themselves on what is really best for me. Now they realize they shouldn’t have forced me/compelled me to obey in so many ways, but it’s too late. The damage is done, and the shame is already on me.

    You know what Lara? When I first got into university, I already knew the current degree is too taxing for me. After one semester I wanted to change to another degree, but my parents was so angry they thought I was crazy and forced me to go and see a psychologist. Of course there was nothing wrong with me, but they just wanted me to continue because my degree is a promising one (I study accounting). So having no other way, I continued. I still worked hard for two years until I started suffering from depression and fatigue from overworking myself. In order to do my best in a degree I had no real passion in, I worked late into the night, forsaking sleep and delaying my meals just to catch up on my project work and revision. Even my ex-friends said I’m among the more hardworking ones in uni.

    But what did I get in the end? Poor emotional/physical health, and having the effing life and motivation sucked out of me.

    “To this day, my family sees me as the problem. I am the oldest child, very intelligent (read: too smart for my own good) who was not shy about speaking my mind, which resulted in a great deal of rage from my alcoholic parents. They parentified me, invalidated me, and competed with me.”

    The only difference between your parents and mine are perhaps the notion that my parents delusionally thought all the things they did were out of love. Your parents sound really cold and heartless, do they even love you at all? Did they even say “we are doing this and that because we love you”?

    I’m glad you have not let the past haunt you. Your success show that what your parents say is not true at all.

    I’m not so fortunate though, having lived in fear and anxiety for so many years, having been ostracized in school and not able to make much friends, I don’t believe I can have normal and loving relationships. Those friends (now ex-friends) who heard about my upbringing are all no longer contacting me, probably seeing me as an outcast. This is how Asian societies are like.

    “They were immature and self-centered as young parents and I don’t see much growth in them now, as they age. My mom is a textbook covert narcissist, my father emotionally unavailable. They still feel justified in abusing me. Their lack of remorse, lack of awareness and lack of desire to address their own shortcomings, and feeling completely justified in blaming me for the chaos of our household is proof enough that I am right and continue to be right.”

    My parents were not only immature, they made me live in fear and anxiety at a young age because they couldn’t regulate their own tempers. They made me want to end my life and have nightmares of running away from a violent man who is out to kill his wife and child. Home, which is supposed to be a safe haven, is a living nightmare to me.

    They probably really think they loved me, but their actions spoke louder than words and were the exact opposite of love. I lived much of my childhood like a fearful animal always looking out for danger. Don’t you think it is so ironic?

    “Learn how to give yourself the nurturing love you never received as a child. Allow yourself to make mistakes and grow and learn at whatever pace you are comfortable with. Its going to be hard, but you can’t truly love another if you don’t love yourself and you need to trust yourself in order to trust another so you can be truly vulnerable in love.”

    Oh, I could care less of myself and to hell with recovery which never came even AFTER I made the decision to forgive. I’m going to spend the rest of my life venting my hatred and anger and condemning a wicked society that wink an eye at evil and turn away from helping the innocent. I’m going to expose their shame and guilt in refusing to speak up against violence and only caring about themselves. I’m going to let them see the extent of pain all child abuse survivors go through so they will stop justifying abusive parenting. I’m going to help victims sue their parents for the evil they have received. I will do this till the day I die.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (89)

    Mag

    October 26th, 2014 at4:27 PM

    Good for you!!! That was such a great comment. I am so sorry about how you were treated by your parents, but I think that’s it’s wonderful you want to turn that anger and angry energy into something that will be conducive to helping others.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (90)

    Leslie M.

    October 23rd, 2014 at1:37 PM

    I don’t see why therapy has to take so long. Still, it sounds like your client has made terrific progress! But her success or failure doesn’t impinge on her parents. She should make herself awesome and then have nothing to do with them. She’s not helping them if she succeeds, she’s only helping herself in spite of that tragic childhood.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (91)

    Leslie M.

    October 23rd, 2014 at1:46 PM

    Wasn’t able to complete comment: I hope you are showing her that there IS no tradeoff: her SUCCESS can be her revenge! It’s simple. I hope you are empathizing with what she has to overcome: I wish this woman the best and i hope she doesn’t wait too long to enjoy her life after that sad childhood!

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (92)

    Pinar

    October 23rd, 2014 at4:46 PM

    Hi all

    I was abused mentally as a child and even untill i was in my mid twenties.
    Untill one day i just moved out with 1 suitcase where i packed my 25 years of my life into.

    I feel unhappy, easily brake down, dont trust anyone and have no friends. This trauma has impacted greatly on my working life as small things stress me easily. People at work see me as uncaring which hurts as im so caring but i just hide it because i cant express it easily.

    What i have learnt is the parents wont admit what they have done. We then are left trying to piece scenarios in our heads as to why things have happened.
    Unfortunately life moves on and although i dont do a lot of things due to lack of self asteem and confidence, i notice how lucky i am to be out of that house.

    To all those that are hurting..

    1 remember you are now free

    2 think deep about what makes you
    smile

    3 keep busy at work give your 100% and make those bad people annoyed that you got through

    4 take your time to come back to your senses. Dont rush it.

    5 always do what makes you happy.

    There are many of us out there hiding. Many of us who need someone who understands our pain. We want to lead a life everyone else has but cant!

    One day i hope things will get better, thats all i can wish for and battle through the constant ups and downs hoping ill get there…

    Never carry on punishing yourself for those who were inhumane enough to stop doing it to you. You are a strong person who got through it and the futures looking bright no matter how hard it has been….
    X

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (93)

    Lara

    October 24th, 2014 at9:58 AM

    @ Esther

    Your response made me so sad I am crying for someone who I don’t even know! Please know that, while it may seem hopeless now, it does get better, if you let it. I can’t relate to your experience of Asian culture, which seems to have such a disregard for the individual human spirit. There are better ways to form a society. I believe your culture is a massive mental health issue. I’m so sorry this is your reality.

    Your anger is a gift, if used productively. You’re very well-spoken (written). Have you thought about creative writing? Maybe starting a blog? That could be a very useful outlet to vent your anger. A lot better than harming defenseless animals (I pray that has stopped) or bottling it up.

    Your clarity and awareness, combined with your intelligence and articulation, can be channeled in creative and productive ways. You are fundamentally a good person who has been dealt a bad hand. Your story and outlook is interesting and educational and could very well inspire others to take a good look at the way your culture crushes the human spirit and start a movement to change for the better. Call me an optimist, but I have faith in you!

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (94)

    Esther

    October 24th, 2014 at5:45 PM

    @Lara

    Thank you for crying for me and for your kind words. I too want to do something for those who suffer, it makes me feel wholler. Just want to say I am grateful for the things you say to encourage me.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (95)

    William

    October 26th, 2014 at5:02 PM

    I’m not totally sure this is the best advice in all cases. Some people really have narcissistic and very abusive parents. While you shouldn’t blame the parents obsessively, blaming the victim is what every classic sociopath does.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (96)

    Fritz

    November 1st, 2014 at2:48 PM

    I don’t think it needs to be about blame. Knowing how they fell short is extremely important when it comes to identifying and fixing the problems we have as a result of it.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (97)

    Fritz

    November 1st, 2014 at3:08 PM

    After attempting suicide I spent 2 weeks in the hospital. I was asked about my family and the relationships between my parents and I and without realizing it I lied and said how all of this was just fine. It was only after a ridiculous phone call with my mother that I suddenly broke down at my next therapy session. So, yes, I blame my parents but in a funny way I think I have earned the right to.

    I also was told by many mental health professionals to break off all ties with these people. It took me another ten years to heed that advice.

    As a teacher, I have identified many areas in which better parenting would have helped me immensely. Boundaries and guidelines that were virtually absent in my youth. You only knew you had crossed the line when you were getting smacked for it. Knowing when a behavior IS unacceptable enough to act on. I am constantly over and under reacting. Avoiding sarcasm. What else is there? That’s the language I grew up on.

    Most of all, an appreciation for myself as a person worthy of respect and even love. you cannot just read a book or study a course and have all of these things be right in your world. These things take years and years to develop and other adults will NOT stand patiently by waiting for you to figure it out. Trust me.

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    Ab

    November 4th, 2014 at11:22 PM

    Hello
    Ihave graduated right nw in Aug, 2014 and I am looking for a job. My mom is like constantly pestering me abt this that I don’t try wholeheartedly to find a Job . But i try my level best, and I just keep getting angry abt this. She always tells bad things abt me that I don’t try and all that stuff and it really gets me mad.
    What do i do.

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    Julie

    November 8th, 2014 at6:54 AM

    I’m so down because I avoid the deep emotions within when talking to my psychologist. I have bottled up so much anger, sadness, tears. I feel like I’ve ler Her down. I’m not sure if things will get worse because I take thins to heart. She’s not convinced I have moved on from my past and says we need to work better together. I don’t want her to feel like that. It’s my fault not hers. What do I do?

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    Hugh M.

    November 16th, 2014 at1:02 PM

    my daughter discovered that I was on a dating site ,I was in the process of deleting most of the contacts when she discovered it on my iPad. She then informed her mum and as you can imagine my wife was shattered, as we were not wealthy enough to separate we could only agree to stay in the same house and cohabitate ,unfortunately my daughter is of the opinion that her mother should have thrown me out of the house ,so although my wife and I are at least talking to each other having dinner together life is almost back to speaking civilly to each other,one of our daughters refuses to speak to me and the other still feels her mum should have thrown me out,.I should explain I had absolutely no intention of dating any contact I made with anyone ,it was as far as I was concerned old man infatuation ,attention from the opposite sex.can any one offer any advice.

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    sophie

    November 21st, 2014 at7:46 PM

    I would like to comment on a couple of things;

    First as a parent: we are human beings and struggle with our own problems. I have noticed that society expects parents to somehow be superhuman but we are not.
    we have are own struggles, and yet children, schools, and in general society wants to blame us for not being perfect. Is anyone perfect?

    My daughter has anxiety / depression/ ADD. she is stubborn, selfish, lazy. Yet she wants to blame me for all her problems (she is nearly 19). I believe that her issues are her responsibility and if she wants to get better she needs to own her problems.

    the truth is our lives are our own responsibility and if want to make it better we have to work for it.

    We all live in an imperfect world, and well come from imperfect parents/ imperfect families. Some of us have had to deal with very difficult/ abusive homes/ lives and yet we still have to function in society, hold down jobs, support our families.

    I look around me and think that people expect too much. We are not perfect, we are most of us damaged and yet still we get up every day and keep going.

    Norman Rockwell did not have a happy family life. He just presented the pictures of the way he wished it to be.

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    Lana

    March 1st, 2015 at11:33 PM

    I am glad you said that because my oldest child continues to claim that she was abused and that I was never there and did not push her when in fact she was rebelling against anything good that I tried to instill in her. She is now 23 and has a child and they both are living with me. I am tired of hearing her place blame because she chose to be the wat she was and is. My mother had a lot to do with my oldest selfish way of thinking because my mom wasn’t there for me she tried to correct her mistake an through my child causing a great deal of animosity between me and my child and me and my mom. Yes we are human and no we are not perfect and at this point I have told her that we can go to counseling and hopefully they can help her realize that she was not abused or neglected. Its called discipline. I hope everything works out for you and hope these young adults get it together and take responsibility for their own actions and life.

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    JL

    November 24th, 2014 at3:12 PM

    I don’t blame my mother for my childhood, even though there were some pretty bad things like her son moving in and molesting me when I was ages 7-9 as an example (I’m totally over it), but for what she has done to me as an adult. She has never liked me. I am too fat and not pretty enough. There is a complete disinterest in me, I must be terribly boring, she’s uncaring to the extreme, doesn’t want a relationship at all. I am 37 and all these years we could have been friends! I would have loved to have a mother who wanted to participate in life with me a little, or even just visit me, just once, not me visiting her and being ignored the entire time. Go see a movie, have a lunch, have tea and talk.

    I am learning how to get over this hurt, but it isn’t easy. Sometimes I feel like I’m not worthy enough to have a relationship with her. I just can’t figure out how to make her happy, unless she is telling lies about me and gossiping to anyone who will listen. So I stopped participating. I gave up two years ago. She didn’t even notice until this week.

    I’ll keep working on how I feel. It’s all I can control in this particular situation. I would like to heal now. I have many role models and friends who have taught me along the way what a healthy mother-daughter relationship looks like and I hope every day I am providing that for my own sweet daughter. I am grateful for all of these wonderful friends, but still you always hope your mom will love you. It’s a core need somehow.

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    jessica

    November 28th, 2014 at12:19 PM

    I always. Try my best to impress. My mom but as much as i try i can’t. She gets mad at me and sometimes. I think se doesn’t. Love me cuz she never was like this to my older and smaller brothers
    Everytime i do something. That. I see right she coms and every little. Thing that. You can hardly. See she gets mad and i em willing to the point when she hits me i em going to fight. Back!!!!

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    Francisca

    December 4th, 2014 at3:09 PM

    I hope for the day I can finally move out but it’s hard when suicide is an option. I’ll acknowledge that my parents tried and that I haven’t tried enough but really, I have no trust in them. They used to ignore and make me feel like shit and now that I’m a teenager who can take care of herself, they suddenly care. I wish I did have a better relationship with them but I do blame them for how messed up I feel. All they do now is act nice and make me feel guilty for being depressed, as if I’m purposely not happy. They haven’t changed, they treat my younger siblings the same way they treated me and I don’t want them to grow up suicidal. I get that peoe are not perfect, but if you’re having kids do realize that they can’t be the person you wanted them to be.

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    Beverly Amsel, PhD

    December 5th, 2014 at3:48 PM

    This is a message for Francisca. I am concerned when I hear you say that suicide is an option. You have clearly had a hard time with your parents. Now that they are acting nice, perhaps you can enlist their help in getting you to a therapist. If that is not possible, I hope you will talk with a guidance counselor or someone who you trust and see if you can find someone to talk with. You will be moving out in a few years, but until then, if you could get some help, it will increase your options for your future.

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    Shelly

    January 15th, 2015 at2:02 AM

    Esther,

    I can relate to you freakishly well. You’re not alone. I’m also in my 20s and still working on my degree due to emotional issues from my upbringing. I had to make a huge, major life change and am dealing with the resulting PTSD and trauma. Also without friends because they already graduated. I share your anger. I too feel that the anger handicaps me, and try very hard to fix my mindset by researching my thoughts and trying new activities/distractions. It’s been rough.

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    Mr. X

    February 21st, 2015 at4:18 PM

    I feel like I’m in some Matrix-like environment and was purposefully given this life. I didn’t ask for it but it was given to me. Everything was meticulously planned and calculated and everything was predetermined. I have the illusion of free will and free thought. Whoever created me decided it would be hilarious to give me the parents that I have. I love them but almost always feel they could have done a better job with me. EVERYTHING starts with parents and how you were raised + genes, predisposition, etc. I’m not going to get into all the details as that can get boring and quite frankly, most of you will simply not care, I understand. The experiences I had as a child have molded me into who I am now. I was sexualized from a very early age and so I was desensitized to and intrigued by sex and the human form. It became an obsession which spiraled out of control. My parents had numerous opportunities to sit down with me and explain to me that what I was thinking and doing was inappropriate but they never did. I was depressed for most of my teenage years and well into my 20’s. My parents did absolutely nothing to help me, nothing. I acted out as a teenager and even in my 20’s and they always told me that there’s something wrong with me but never got me any help. I am now 30 years old and feel like I have this insurmountable task of healing myself. I somewhat believe in religion and the doctrine that if you do not forgive others, they will not forgive you. I forgive my parents but I still blame them. I look at it like this, everyone is God except me. Thus if I don’t forgive, God will not forgive me. I am perfectly fine living life the way I am now but I don’t think that’s what God wants for me. I don’t really know what he wants for me to be honest. I have schizophrenia and I heard voices. I’m not sure if these are just voices or if it was indeed God himself. I don’t even know why I’m writing this, it won’t change anything, just venting I guess.

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    Beverly Amsel, PhD

    February 22nd, 2015 at9:39 AM

    This is a response to Mr X
    You have clearly done a great deal of thinking about yourself and your life. You have conveyed well how painful it was for you to grow up in your family. You write that you have schizophrenia. That is a very difficult situation to live with. I hope that you are getting help to make your circumstances more tolerable. Writing your thoughts may not seem so helpful, but anything you can do to vent or express yourself constructively is a good thing. I strongly recommend you seek out a mental health professional to talk with. I believe you are probably a good talker and I also believe that talking will be helpful.
    Beverly Amsel, PhD

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    Lana S

    March 1st, 2015 at11:51 PM

    All I can say is there is no such thing as a perfect parent. Mines was far from it and denies it all or just avoids it all together. I am 40 and have raised 4 children all in the same house with the same guidelines and yet they all turned out differently. My mom tried to correct her mistakes through my oldest which caused more harm than good. She damaged me in my childhood and then used my oldest child to try to continue to damage my adulthood. I’m to the point where I realize that my mom was messed up and so was my grandmother which caused a trickle down effect, which I tried to change that with my children, however my mom always went against me. My oldest continues to make excuses and place blame because I really believe that she just wants to be sorry because its easier. I was abused sexually mentally and emotionally but when I stood up for myself I progressed. Children and people have to be responsible for their ownselves and their own lives.

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    Jen

    April 8th, 2015 at7:00 PM

    I was abandoned by my “real” father at the hospital, when he found out I was born with a vagina instead of a penis he wanted nothing more to do with me. My mother was only 17 when she had me, I’ve always felt like more of a mother to her than the other way around. Anyway, fast forward to mom’s husband number two, I’m about seven years old. He mentally, physically and sexually abused me for years. I kept the sexual abuse hidden because he threatened to kill all of us if I told anyone, I was young and scared so I didn’t say anything. Eventually, I was stuck alone with him and my baby sister one night and he had been drinking and I was too terrified to let it happen again so I called my grandma and she came and picked us up in the middle of the night. I went to therapy for a couple of sessions and my mom let him move back in the house. I figured either she didn’t believe me or didn’t care so I never said anything again. I used to think of ways to kill myself or him, because I was so miserable I just wanted it to stop. I don’t really know how to get past the feeling of abandonment from my real father or how to truly forgive my mother and ex step father. I just feel so worthless sometimes. I just don’t know what to do.

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (112)

    Beverly Amsel, PhD

    April 9th, 2015 at11:13 AM

    Hi Jen

    You describe many traumas that you have had to endure since very early in your life. The terrible feelings and helplessness you describe make a lot of sense given your very painful history. I don’t know how old you are now or what your living circumstances are now, but I strongly urge you to find someone to talk with.

    Ideally you could contact your local mental health association, or find someone through goodtherapy.org. If that isn’t possible it is very important that you seek out a teacher, a member of the clergy, or any adult who you trust.

    You have come this far and that tells me you are resilient. Trust that with some help, you can begin to overcome these traumas and develop positive feelings about yourself.

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    alan

    April 11th, 2015 at11:47 PM

    Although it is not helpful to blame parents it is also not helpful to say they are not to blame. Many people do not have idyllic childhoods and may have parents who neglect them, are over-critical and just plain bad role models. Take a child from a home where the parents are positive and loving and then contrast that with a child who comes from a home where parents are negative and negligent to the child’s needs. Nobody is ever going to convince me that the latter child will be a happier adult. Of course your family life affects you! What nonsense the article is.

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    Alyssa

    June 26th, 2015 at6:31 PM

    THIS. A million times this. This article is a bunch of crap. Parents and home life heavily influence who we become and our perception of the world. Yes, at some point as adults we must take some responsibility for our actions. But at the same time, for example, if parents never fight fairly or fight and scream in front of their children, that’s how the child learns to deal with conflict. Sometimes that even carries over into adulthood.

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    Grayz

    May 1st, 2015 at9:53 PM

    I don’t blame my parents totally the opposite. My supervisor told me that I should be more calm as far work related. My response was I can’t that’s how my parents made me. She responded with “stop being a victim”. Redicoulous I’m exactly like my parents. Does that make me a victim and what does that mean. Please someone explain

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    Kim

    May 10th, 2015 at5:55 PM

    I am an Adult Child of an Alcoholic and blamed my issues on my childhood too, I had resentments against my Mom for not leaving the bad Drunk Step Dad, as a child I thought she must love him more because she isn’t making the bad man leave. My Mom passed away 2 years ago and in putting her life story together for her funeral I realized so much. I never really knew my Mom, I was seeing her from a child’s perspective that was not at all the reality of what was really going on back then. Today I know that she put up with an alcoholic in order to keep all us kids together, have a roof over our heads, have food on the table every night, have clothes and shoes when ever we needed them and live in a good neighborhood. She never graduated high school, never had a job back then she wasn’t allowed to work she had to stay at home and take care of the house and the man. When I was in high school my Mom went back to school and got her diploma and when my step Dad had a stroke from drinking she went to work and took care of the house and us kids while he stayed in the house half paralyzed and angry. I was not kind to my Mom because of a child’s stupid idea of how it was back then and I lost my opportunity to get to really know my Mom and love her the way she deserved to be loved. Don’t hold on to a child’s resentments against any Parent because before long they will be gone and you will never heal.

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (117)

    M.Stubbs

    May 17th, 2015 at5:57 AM

    Oh my, I am glad I found this site. Well I am and was not a great mother either, neither was my mom. And I have apologized I don’t know how many times to my daughters. But am I responsible for my daughters “Unhappiness”?? No I am not. Happiness is a choice. I was happy and content until I allowed my daughter (28 years) old to move back in with me.

    She had a nice place and they raised the rent and she could not afford to live there anymore. I was hesitant to let her move in with me in the beginning and realized just yesterday I made a huge mistake. For years I had to hear what king of a bad mother I was or still am, mainly because I have not had the finances to support my daughter. My life style is totally different from that my daughters. As long I can pay my bills and have food in my fridge I am fine.

    My daughter has her own perceptions on how she wants to live her life, which is totally understandable. For her it is about not having to worry about money, and now she experiences a time where she doesn’t have what she wants. Living from paycheck to paycheck isn’t easy. Making the right choices in life isn’t easy either.

    Bottom line when something goes wrong in her life, it is moms fault, she cannot let go of the past. I was not born into the role of a mother and we all have to grow into the role of a parent. Especially those who have suffered abuse themselves. I am so insecure in the presence of my daughter, nothing is ever good enough, she humiliates me in public, yells at me, and treats me very poorly. She has no respect for my work, and yesterday I blew up on her and feel bad about it. How can someone be nice if you are constantly being called rude, a jerk etc. She is projecting a lot of her issues on me. She makes a decent income, doesn’t have to pay rent, the only thing I asked her to do is paying a part of the utilities ($50) a month. That is all I asked for. I feel like she is emotionally and mentally abusing me, especially when I am hesitant to or want to say no to something I am the bad mother again.
    With that said, in comparison to me she is way better of financially than I am. As a mom I have told her she will always have a home with me. I am to the point where I want to say please leave, because I cannot deal with her being so moody and unhappy anymore. It is sad to get ill over this. I am so stressed at times I get chest pains and and have headaches for days in a row. My daughter is being resentful and I have forgiven my mom. One last thing, this will be the very last time I have done this. I am not putting myself ever again in a position where my daughter can treat me like this. She needs to find her own way in life. I cannot advice her on anything, cause she knows everything better anyways. But I am done with this kind of abuse and I want to live the rest of my life in peace, without being humiliated, yelled at, or being told I have psychological issues, being rude, a jerk, having an attitude, and being immature. I am almost 52 years old and want peace, nothing but peace.

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    Csmith

    January 8th, 2016 at7:40 PM

    I know how you feel. My daughter moved in with me after an accident which crippled her and totaled her car. I’m almost 70 and disabled from an accident at 59. I spent all I had left helping and gave all my love and even was so upset I forgot to pay my bills, lost a house and had to file bankruptcy. My daughter swears her friends paid her bills and has gotten worse calling me bad names and screaming. I can say nothing right, I now stay in my room I can’t control my blood pressure and as the Dmv wants 50 yrs of marriage and divorce records I can’t get my drivers license back until I can come up with the documents I’ve been working 6 months now to get, so I can’t even get away. She and I were best friends before doing a lot together. Now I’m the scum of the earth to her. She can’t work and got into drugs but is better with that now I think. I can’t do this anymore and the other kids are angry I don’t just kick her out. I don’t know what she’d do or where she’d go. Her boyfriend is here too; at first it helped with her Abuse but now she has him convinced I’m the bad person as he did drugs here too I just found out, and I can tell when he gets mad at everything too and maybe that’s what’s wrong with her but he is both of our only transportation to doctors and all. I never saw a drug or policeman before. My cat is even stressed badly. My blood pressure of 260/145 is not going to let me live long. I think she is packing my good things to take but when I ask where something is, things have begun to disappear, she says I’m nuts and she’s going to commit me. My other kids don’t even want to talk to me anymore because I can’t bring myself to throw her out and I have no outlet. There’s no ride to doctor, physical therapy or the other kind I’ve been thinking of, nothing but taxi costing hundreds a trip. I love my daughter so much and I’m helpless to help anymore. I’m on social security and she has no income whatsoever. How can I throw her out? That’s the only advice anyone has.

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    hurting mom

    May 25th, 2015 at2:16 PM

    Im a hurtng mom of a 17yr girl whos graduating high school this week. This is suppose to be the beginning of a new chapter and its actually the closing of first 17yrs. Im hurting so bad from many things as well as her and unfortunately people who didnt shouldnt have interfered did which was my mom and we never had a great relationship because at 40 she still wants to control my. I miss my baby girl she left my house today and i now have no contact with her. I was the mom who did all taosed her,abused by husband,sick with cancer,put her needs alwaya before my own and still would.a piece of my heart is missing and i just want it back.

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    M.Stubbs

    May 25th, 2015 at9:54 PM

    I understand your hurt Hurtingmom. When we first have our bundle of joy in our arms we don’t think about the challenges, that could come our way. And we go into motherhood with the best intentions to raise our children to love,protect,and to provide for our children. So far so good. We always do the best we can, with what we have available to us.

    Our children only learn to understand this when they become parents themselves. My own post here gave me time to think about a lot of things. What happened in the past, I cannot take back, I acknowledged my mistakes. Today is today, and tomorrow is a new day dawning.

    See, I believe we are growing in to the role of motherhood. We don’t know how to master challenging situation unless we experience them and learn from them and do our best to handle the situation with or without outside help.

    Even though my daughter blames me a lot, I gave her life, love and did the best I could to provide for her and her older sister without having a support system. I believe you too have done the best you could and that’s all you can do. Your daughter will understand one day, that being a mom is not something you can learn like reading a book, because a lot of totally unexpected stuff can can and will happen when we raise children. We would have to have the superpower of being psychic to see everything, and to prevent.

    Your daughter will eventually call you when she is in the situation of needing her mom. Hope this helps a little.

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    anon

    June 12th, 2015 at1:36 PM

    What about if you get angry with your parents after therapy? I was never particularly angry with my parents. I could see that the way they were was not ideal, but it wasn’t like I’d been abused. Therapy helped me to realise that some of the ways I thought and felt were learned from childhood and that even if it wasn’t my parents’ ‘fault’, it still had an effect. It helped me be more compassionate towards myself.

    But now I find myself getting so angry at them – particularly my mother. She often talks about how terrible her life was and is (she has fibromyalgia and was abused as a child) and I find myself feeling furious because when I’ve been feeling very ill she’s told me it’s all in my head and that I’m just trying to get attention. I guess there’s that feeling of double standards when I didn’t even say I had an illness, all I had said was that I was feeling really unwell. Now I have to have buckets of sympathy for an illness that (conveniently) is not going to get better any time soon. I know I shouldn’t be cynical about that, I’m sure it’s horrible and I know it ruins people’s lives, but with my mother…it just seems so convenient…

    Anyway, I want to stop feeling angry because I feel like it wastes my time and I never used to be angry like this. I think I feel angry because I feel that it would have been easier for me when I was having a rough time relatively recently if I had had more support when bad things have happened to me, rather than it all being about her, but I can’t see how being angry about that is going to help me in any way.

    Will this just go away by itself? It’s easy to forgive her for stuff that happened in my childhood because it was so long ago, but I seem to find it difficult to forgive her for things that have happened more recently. I just don’t want to get hung up on it.

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    TheRenegade

    June 21st, 2015 at6:27 PM

    I also have a hard time figuring out what to do with my parents. They divorced when I was just under a year old. My mother immediately went back to my stepdad and had my little brother. She then tried to change my identity and tell me that my stepdad was my real father while my stepdad abused me and molested me until i was well into my teens. I was always the scapegoat around the house being in the middle kid and the only stepchild. My dad went and had another family when i was 11. I considered going to a foster home but was too scared to, so i went 50/50 with my parents every week as a kid. I’ve tried to create a relationship in which i can trust the both of them and I do know that they have taught me many valuable lessons on how to live, but I always feel angry or depressed that they either never wanted me or that i will never be good enough for either of them. It is something that makes me feel i’m not in control of my own life and am stuck in one place. I really want to move on but don’t know how because everytime i try to let go of them i feel so guilty.

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    Radd

    September 13th, 2015 at4:36 PM

    There are parents out there who are truly abusive to their children in a sick, cold, calculating way. And they keep trying to drag their kids back because they use them for their own sick, demented reasons. And these children grow up into adults having missed essential developmental stages in life, with warped minds, and distorted perceptions that cause all sorts of awful problems for them in their life.

    So why not blame the parents for doing this? If somebody broke your leg, should you not blame them for it? I agree it’s important to move on and take care of yourself, but that doesn’t mean you can’t blame your parents for the actual damage they did to you.

    So I think it’s good to blame your parents, because it’s important to understand the origin of where problems come from. Because if you don’t understand the origin, then you can’t truly make sense of your life. But blaming doesn’t have to become a life’s occupation: blaming is the first step, moving on and living life comes after. If you don’t accept where your problems came from, then you can’t ever really move on.

    To say otherwise is the opposite of Good Therapy — it’s Bad Therapy. Encouraging people to ignore the origins of their problems in life is like encouraging someone to deny their own lives. How is that healthy?

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    Annie

    October 16th, 2015 at9:03 AM

    I agree with Alan. Saying parents are not to blame isn’t particularly helpful. Nor is the attitude that you can just ‘let go’ of anger, like it’s a mug you can put down on a kitchen counter. We do not choose our feelings, and if we are consumed with anger then being told to let go of it isn’t going to help – people who are troubled by their childhoods need to process what happened, to understand, to grieve, to work through whatever they are feeling. Your job is not to remove their anger, but to help them process it. I think the therapist who wrote this article sounds incredibly defensive and may well be avoiding feelings of blame they have towards their own parents.

    My parents were abusive. OF COURSE I blame them for my relational difficulties, PTSD etc. I am RESPONSIBLE FOR MYSELF, for healing myself and learning new ways to be in the world, but the blame lies with them, not with me, and any therapist who told me to ‘let go’ of my anger would not see me again. This article has really upset me. What business does a therapist have policing people’s feelings? Because that is what you are doing. Telling people their anger isn’t helpful and they shouldn’t have it is not useful – people need compassionate help and support to process their feelings.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (125)

    Sam

    November 24th, 2015 at10:53 AM

    I have a son and a daughter that I have raised by myself they had a good life. Their father was never in their life and they had no problems with it because he was a very bad man. They are adults now with children of their own now. They are accusing me of ruining their life and lying to them. They have disowned me and I am no longer allowed to see my grandchildren. They had a good life I encouraged them in everything they got involved in.They had good jobs did good in school well known in town as good kids when they were young. I don’t understand.

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (126)

    Rshar

    November 26th, 2015 at9:10 AM

    It is not easy to just Not Feel in a certain way. The damage caused in childhood actually affects the physical and emotional state in adulthood. Please read my story.
    I am a Single male 42 year old and find it very difficult to let go.
    I witnessed domestic violence in my home since I was 4 Year Old, I was physically beaten starting when I was 10-11 till I was 22. I got beaten so bad that I used to pee in my pants during the beatings. In most cases those not my faults but a slightest mistake got me in beatings. I was afraid all the time all my childhood. I didnt want to invite any friends home as I was afraid. If I played out for little longer then I would get beaten up. If I scored 100% in all subjects but 80% in one, I would get eaten up. Once when I was in 11th grade (abt 16 year old) I was stuck out at a friend place due to heavy rain, when I came home, my dad beat me bad in front of other neighbors (one of the girl was in my school). Anyway the beatings continued till I was 22 (Final year of college). In school and College I was an Ideal Student. I was the topper in almost every class, I led many extra curricular activities, I even gave a 30 in interview on National TV (in India when there was only 1 channel) on a subject. It was viewed by the whole nation (as there was only one channel). I was a star in the neighborhood and in all my schools. Everyone knew me by name. But at home I used to get beaten up. I worked very hard to make me successful. I did full time jobs and two schools at same time to make a career. I was afraid of talking to girls as I was always beaten up if a girl spoke to me or wrote me something. Infact by the age of 25, I became manager in a Multinational Company and still at my home I was verbally abused to be of loose character. My mom and elder sister always abused me for talking to any girl. Mind you I never had a girl friend as (1) I was afraid (2) I had no time for it as I was always studying or working hard.

    At the age of 28 I left home to go to USA. But I think I lost the ability to date or fall in love with anyone. I dont know what it is to be loved and to love someone. I never received any gifts or attended any Bday or other parties (My parents never celebrated bdays) . I find it very difficult to feel the love for anyone. BTW lots of girls approached me in y young days to date them but I refused all of them due to my issues of fear and time. I was told that I was(in my young days) very Handsome & good looking, Tall , & Smart and could have got any girl I wanted. I was not allowed to marry as per my wish but was almost talked into to marry someone (when I was 34). My mom insisted to marry an average looking girl (even if I am not attracted to her). Her view was that no one will say she is beautiful but no one will says that she is ugly . My marriage didnt last even a year. It has been 7 years since then and I find it difficult to trust and love anyone. My parents have NEVER done anything as per my desire. Even when they bought home after my dad’s retirement, they got in a place and home which I HATE but still I had to pay all the money for it (That was all my savings at the age of 35). Even now my parents try to arrange someone for me saying that she is Average (even though I have taken control of my life and told them To Not bother me anymore). But I feel inability to love and be loved. I am very very upset with my parents and blame them for total failure of my life. I struggle at work also to manage a team. I find it difficult to disagree with my seniors. I dont know how to resolve conflicts. I dont know how to handle someone stronger than me (physically or verbally). I have so many deep issues, I cant tell.

    So now tell me, how do I move on and not think about this at all? How to forget and forgive.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (127)

    Sharlaine

    February 13th, 2016 at1:19 PM

    I have a daughter that is 17 years old that was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 10. I went through hell trying to get anyone to listen to me something was wrong with her from the day she was born with her odd behaviors. She was masturbating constantly even as an toddler, pulling out big chunks of her hair and wanted nothing to do with me. I tried my hardest to bond with her and she wanted nothing to do with me. The doctors said with her odd behavior she will out grow it nothing to worry about blah, blah, blah. I knew something was wrong I have another child its not like I was a new mother. I finally got help when she was 10 she would jump out of windows in our house to walk the highway to go town that is dangerous behavior. She even went as far as telling CPS that I was abusing her. They showed up at my house with cops and everything I was pissed I told them you have no idea what I go through with this child so if you think she is being abused by all means put her in a foster home which is what she wanted anyway. They got her records from the counselor and Psychiatrist I did not hear from them again that was in the state of Idaho. She was placed in and out of a behavioral health center 6 times with in a year they finally diagnosed her and got her on medications. However she kept telling them at the hospital is was all my fault and how I mistreat her. They seen through her manipulation and told her “it’s not your mom’s fault you are the way you are so stop blaming her. I could go on an on about this story, but we moved to a new state in September 2015 and she pulled the same crap and instead of them getting her records she told the state she was unsafe at home blah, blah, blah. So she got her way they placed her in a foster home and she is 17 years old because they thought I was the problem. I was like finally I have some peace because let me tell you my own mental and physical state is fracture from all the hell I have gone through. She had told the counselor’s here in this state its because of me she is the way she is she literally hates me. They placed her back in the home because they had no grounds found that she was unsafe. I was not thrilled because the doctor here found that she is just depressed and has anger issues because of Me! I am like seriously I have been the only that has given a crap about what happens to her. She came back this morning which is Feb. 13th and immediately started dictating what she was going do and I told her “no your not going to tell me what your doing you ask my permission” she got rude with me thus causing me to be in tears because God forbid I say anything she can use against me. I don’t want to give up, but I have too because she will always blame me no matter what I do damn if I do damn if I don’t not to mention she rubs in my face she was misdiagnosed and blames me. I do not wish this on anyone to have to go through. I am an educated 43 year old women that has a Bachelor in Psychology and Applied Behavioral Science, but according to this state I have no idea what I am talking about its frustrating.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (128)

    The GoodTherapy.org Team

    February 13th, 2016 at6:24 PM

    Dear Sharlaine,

    It sounds like you have been through a lot. Perhaps you would like to contact a mental health professional. You can do so by visiting our homepage, https://www.goodtherapy.org/, and entering your zip code into the search field to find therapists in your area.

    Once you enter your information, you’ll be directed to a list of therapists and counselors who meet your criteria. From this list you can click to view our members’ full profiles and contact the therapists themselves for more information. You are also welcome to call us for assistance finding a therapist. We are in the office Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time; our phone number is 888-563-2112 ext. 1.

    Kind regards,
    The GoodTherapy.org Team

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (129)

    Sharlaine

    February 14th, 2016 at10:25 AM

    @good therapy team she is in counseling and continues to tell them it’s my fault she is depressed and has anger issues. She had to come spend the weekend with us and it’s the same thing her saying I can’t sleep here I am too nervous and stresesed. I have done nothing wrong I am nice to her, but yet she continues to talk down to me. I don’t say much to engage in conversation because I am trying to avoid conflict. Then she says I ignore her. It’s damn if I do damn if I don’t.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (130)

    Hurt mom

    April 20th, 2016 at7:05 PM

    I can understand having feelings to blame your parents for your life if they were abusive or just never cared. I have a 20 year old that is constantly telling everyone she meets at college that she is depressed because of me. I have encouraged her to go after her dreams forever. She moved home after her first year of college after breaking up with a young man she dated for 3 years and had given her a promise ring. She still attends college but has been upset with us since she moved home. She doesn’t think she should have to come home at night if she doesn’t want to nor have a curfew. All she wants to do is her own thing and be home for an occasional meal, a place to shower and sleep. She doesn’t put any effort into helping around the house and her excuse is she goes to college and has a part time job. We have been very giving which I regret on not making her buy her own car, pay her insurance nor phone bill. She is always comparing our parenting of how she was raised compared to her teenage brother. I think she thinks she promotes having “depression” as an attention getting device because she likes being the center of attention. She received a lot of attention through out high school with being smart, pretty and very athletic. When she started college she wasn’t the star and when her boyfriends brother got engaged she wasn’t in the spotlight there either. She tells us that she is supposed to have fun while in college. But I tell her that college is supposed to be fun but fun also has to be safe. I am also a nurse and have encouraged to not be like a lot of students and young people that don’t look for relationships of the heart anymore but just jump into bed with the flavor of the day. I seriously don’t think I will suffer from empty nest syndrome and this child when she leaves will not have a return policy to come home if needed. Decided being a supportive parent wanting the best for them was a wrong move. Never put your kids needs always first because they become self centered hateful young adults.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (131)

    Andy D

    July 14th, 2016 at10:10 AM

    I disagree with this post. Yes. Blaming your parents doesn’t help. I agree with that. But, I live and still live in a toxic environment. I used to listen to my parents most people do. However they mislead me. My parents would fight everyday and should have been divorced a long time ago. My parents still til this day don’t let me cook in the house or take showers daily. My father turns off the water to make me angry. I work 40 hours a week and grind daily just to survive. I eat at my work because of this. I was assaulted and almost died 6 months ago. My dad and mom showed up and left because they had to go to a concert that weekend. I woke up all alone. I constantly antagonized by my parents. I’m glad I have a roof over my head. But, sometimes I wish I lived on the street because at least I would be free from the mental abuse. I turned to god because of this. I never had anyone to talk to. People wouldn’t believe me and would say I’m “crazy”. My parents would even threaten to kick me out to make me scared. They told me not to take jobs and would pamper my little sister. I didn’t have a kid. Always was successful in school. But, I made mistakes based on my environment. The thing is my father has money. But, he chose to starve me and chose to make me smell bad not out of the struggle but because he wanted to. My brother has MS and needs air conditioning to help his disease. However, he still lives in the hottest room in the house and sweats daily. So, when I read these articles I chuckle. People still til this day believe just because you live in a nice house in an upscale neighborhood that you are treated well. I have been treated like a slave my entire life. People throw the word “perception” at me the whole time. Well, they can as they wish. Try having your parents who you are supposed to love and will always be there for you brainwash by saying your crazy and need help from a shrink but in reality they are torturing you. People say move out! How can you move out when you can barely survive day to day and always applying for jobs and never get a call. I make 10 dollars and hour and all of my money goes to food. I can’t get a link card because of my father’s income. So for all the people who say perception they can take a hike. I know there are people out there that go through the same thing. Some choose jail. Others choose crime. The some of us who actually make it are battle tested. So at the end of the day. Everybody goes through something. Some more than others. Some don’t even have family. But, the government can give them a link card. Or they can find someone to move in with to restart their life. But, if your me and have nowhere to go. I have made mistakes. But, I had to get older and wiser to realize them. So, basically this article makes me shake my head. I know there are people who struggle like I do. This is my story. God Bless.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (132)

    Jasper

    September 5th, 2016 at3:04 AM

    It’s weird for me to see so many other people with the same feelings for different reasons than me. I am 23 and depressed my whole life. My mother had me postively tested for ADHD, but decided not to do anything with it. Due to the emotional enviroment I was born in I have developed a highly sensitive personality. With normal parents that and adhd should not be problem. The real problem was that I outsmarted my fatigued mother, and got in the way of how I would be raised. But the reason I hate my parents is because they never saw the struggles I was having and they let me break myself completely to the point where there isn’t much left anymore. I know that’s my own fault, but if you’re going to ignore clear personality and behavioural disorders, DON’T RAISE A KID.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (133)

    Sima

    September 28th, 2016 at9:47 PM

    I was sexually abused as a 5 yr old. My parents had left me alone at home with a cousin brother for around 45 mins. n he took d advantage. I know that they had no idea that he would do so, but still when this incident starts troubling me i tend to blame my parents for leaving me alone with him. Should i blame them?

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (134)

    George & Mary

    October 22nd, 2016 at4:47 PM

    Sima
    , Just read your post from Sept.28,2016.
    .The past can’t be changed and to blame will only prevent you to start the healing process .Acknowledge what happen to you then for your own well being find forgiveness and then focus on healing . Try to focus on positive things in life and people who LOVE you and bring you UP in life.
    When the past memories come to mind redirect to positive thoughts and keep active with things you enjoy in life.
    Healing begins when you move forward in life and not letting the past cripple you.
    Best wishes to you and have a HAPPY life !

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (135)

    George & Mary

    October 22nd, 2016 at4:25 PM

    When individuals don’t respect you the best thing you can do for yourself is distance yourself from these type of people . Individuals who always blame and scapegoat a family member and blame them for every problem they have in life will never change. They play the victim game and have negative mindset.Live your life with people who love you and focus on the positive things in life . Find PEACE within your inner being and most of all LOVE and RESPECT yourself. Only you can make yourself HAPPY in life. It starts by letting go of your negative thoughts. Life is short ENJOY ! Peace be with you.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (136)

    mplo

    November 4th, 2016 at5:47 AM

    My parents, especially my mom, were tough on me when I was growing up, and I’m glad of it, in some ways, but they were not abusive. Due to the problems I had, the way I often acted frequently taxed their patience, but they managed to work their way around it, due to being very educated and very intelligent, and they raised their kids to be okay. Sure, I still wish I’d been born later, and in a more normal, natural and humane way, but they kept fighting for my rights and trying for me, and I came out okay despite the problems I had. When I got older and moved out of my parents’ house, however, my viewpoints began to change somewhat, but it was awhile before they could really come to terms with my differences regarding some issues. I realize, however, that they did what they thought was best for me while I was growing up, and did the best they could, with what they had. My refusal to become involved with various causes that’re dedicated to making our society and the world a better place, however, have carried over, to some extent, and I’ve admittedly always bristled at being inconvenienced by things, whether it be by protestors blocking traffic, really bad winter weather (although if I really want to or need to get somewhere, I hoof it to public transportation.), or being in the dark about what’s going on when delays occur. I don’t blame my parents for those, but I think that the way in which I was hardwired together has some bearing on all of it.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (137)

    John H

    January 17th, 2017 at12:51 PM

    There is something called Narcissistic Personality Disorder and I have met many young people who deal with toxic, abusive parents. They won’t let go because they are looking for validation for their trauma. Yes, you should move on if possible, but kids scarred by horrible parents never truly recover.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (138)

    Kim

    January 17th, 2017 at2:44 PM

    My father is defiantly a nacissist without a doubt the sad thing is after 40 years of marriage my mother has started to pick up some of those traits. It’s horrible but you yourself don’t have to be unhappy, karma is real and what go’s around comes around they will need you someday and that’s when you can make the decision to get over the way they treated you all your life or walk way. I helped take care of 2 of my grandparents because they were ALWAYS their for me. Another thing that helps is praying on it💜💜

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (139)

    jess

    January 27th, 2017 at1:14 PM

    I so wish I could believe karma was real!!
    Sadly, I don’t see that. In my family the bullies and narcissists just group together and nothing bad ever happens to them. In fact, they seem to gain at the expense of everyone else and they in their tight knit group they are there for each other and would never need any of the ones excluded from their group.
    I long for karma to strike. I long to be wanted or needed by my parents but it ain’t going to happen. I long for them to get even just a small part of the horror they dole out!
    It does seem very unfair but I guess that is life.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (140)

    Victoria Grech

    January 16th, 2020 at1:59 AM

    I have 2 daughters aged 40 & 39. The eldest is married and she began the no contact the 1st time almost 3 years ago and it lasted over 9 months. Her husband and my youngest daughter were on the band wagon. It came about in texts. A lot of pent up anger emotions etc. Horrible things were said from all of the above except my son in law was the text king. The worst part of all of this was he involved himself in my relationship with my daughter as a child. He said I always had abused her and also physically and to this day criticize her and put her down. I am not in denial nor am I a saint by any means but truth is I praise her and always honestly tell her of her wonderful talents like her beautiful voice and singing. How beautiful she is, what a great mother she is and how proud I am of her having her own daycare business and how truly wonderful she is to the children she cares for. I never physically abused my daughter. My husband and I were in AA at a young age. I had my 1st AA birthday a month after her birth. I sincerely wanted my daughter and lived mothering her. She was my baby. I fell in love with her tbe day I laid eyes on her. I live both my daughters equally as they are individuals and both have their own unique personalities and talents that I treasure. My husband and I fell of the wagon after almost 9 years of sobriety and were both in and out of recovery for quite a few years. I know this was horrible painful and devastating for my girls. I being raised by a very critical belittling mother and a husband with those same issues was accustomed to low self esteem and put downs. I always said uncle and bought the guilt trip and believed I deserved their abuse. My daughter’s were raised seeing their mother treated less than. My part in this is I went all g with it not knowing better at the time. This has taught my daughters that it was ok for mom to be treated as less than and that I was bad-for I allowed myself to be the victim thinking I deserved to be punished. MY MISTAKE! To make a very long life story short after all these years I finally realized they have never seen me stand up for myself and have always seen me take blame and psychological and some physical unwarranted mainly. Now my son in law throws in my face that he helped me move or any way they have spent $20 on me. I am 63 years old permanently disabled and I appreciate the times they donated some food or some gas money to me because I needed it and I was grateful but my son in law and now both daughters throwing that help in my face hurts. I’d rather do without the help then be humiliated by it. I would love to pay every cent back. They also feel like they have the right to tell me how to live who to have in my life and it goes on. I don’t force myself or wishes upon them and have been proud of their successes and let them know it. My world is so small now with my COPD progressing I am now on oxygen even though I quit smoking 10 months ago. I found put they think I am lying and that I smoke. I am not a liar and it hurts because they know that I am not a liar. I am very alone with less mobility less social life and my health issues that require me surrounding myself supportive people. I have a few friends that are truly here for me and very supportive-thank GOD. I never raised my children to be so cold so callous or hard hearted. I’m sincerely feeling the major part of the abandonment from them is tied to their fear that they might get stuck with me I’ll living with them. I don’t want this for them. I don’t want to be where I am not wanted. There’s not a lot of time left. I told my daughter I’m ready when she is because I see the shortness of life and the value of love and moving on as maybe agreeing that we may not agree on everything. I don’t have time for counseling or being attacked and crucified ever again! For what? I have apologized for any hurt I ever caused I would never purposely hurt my children and I have owned up to my past flaws and unwise choices. It’s history now and it’s over and done. What ever time is left I want it to be quality of life and as joyful as possible. So I may have to leave before they know what is truly important-letting and showing the ones you live that you love them and that every moment and every person is precious! I am still hanging in here and by no means giving up on life or love or future or AMAZING GRACE!
    THANK YOU,
    VICTORIA GRECH

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (141)

    Erin

    January 26th, 2017 at6:08 AM

    I’m struggling with this right now. I’ve been in therapy with a good therapist for about 6 months. I’m 35 yrs old. My father physically abused my mom and two brothers, (never from drinking, just cruelty). He would punch my mom in the face in front of us when we were toddlers, and started hitting/choking my brothers when they were a bit older. He was a monster, I’m starting to realize he is a sociopath, he doesn’t feel empathy for others, or even small animals for that matter. My mom finally divorced him when he started hurting my younger brother. We were destitute, he didn’t pay child support for years. my mom became abusive towards us kids, blaming us for the divorce, saying things like “its your fault for being so messy, that’s why your dad left”. I feel bad for her to this day that she had to try and take care of us by herself after giving up her career for children. She also says that my dad was never really in love with her, he just wanted to get married to have help paying his bills. (why have children with a man who doesn’t really love you?)…My mom was brought up by my grandparents, my grandma has borderline personality disorder, hates girls and treated my mom badly because she felt threatened by my moms youth (sick female misogyny towards her own daughter, which my mom then carried over to me). As I got older my mom would chase me with a knife, pull my hair, hit me, call me a fucker, etc. She was a total nightmare too, and still is. I have trouble feeling connected to family at all, I feel like an outsider when I’m around my in-laws. The word family makes me cringe. My brothers both became born again religious freaks who don’t respect women. go figure. I’m having a horrible time trying to convince myself that I’m not a victim of my parents abuse. I can’t be around my sister in laws, I’m so jealous of how comfortable they are with themselves, and how loving their parents are. My therapist says I shouldn’t feel like “apparently I don’t deserve a family, why did this happen to me? ” which really pisses me of, to be honest. I’d love to forgive my parents, but my dad shows no remorse, so I don’t speak to him at all. my mom is way too crazy to even consider being sorry. Their abuse is affecting me as an adult, I can’t help it. I’m trying to fix it with therapy, but its really hard. I have come a long way, I got my dream job, I have a wonderful loving husband, I’m generally pretty happy if I assess my life. I don’t know if I’ll ever stop wondering why some people have loving families and I didn’t. my therapist said to take note of how the abuse turned me into a better, stronger person. I’m a talented artist, and a teacher. I think if anything I learned how to cope with art, and it did make me a stronger person. I seem to engage with children better than most, I’m not sure why but I know that’s a blessing. It’s tough to be around my husbands brothers and their wives, mostly because they all have kids, and I didn’t want any until recently. I feel like the things I did to cope with my family made me a loner, an insecure introvert. someone who is afraid of being a bad parent…I’m not sure how I can convince myself that I’m a better person because of the abuse, and that I’m not a victim of it.

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  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (142)

    jess

    January 27th, 2017 at1:06 PM

    What if your parents continue to put you down and lie to you and about you to others even in adulthood?
    Forgiving them for childhood things and believing they were doing the best they could is easier but being reminded everyday by continuing nastiness is hard, so hard.
    I love them so much and yet they treat me so nastily and without end.
    It would be far easier if I did not love them because then it would not hurt.
    If I want to stop the thoughts and the anger and the bitterness (which I’d love to do because I know it is not good for me) how can I do that when each time we speak or visit the bad stuff happens again and again. The only way it will stop is if I agree with them about the fact that I was and am the worst person on the globe! That doesn’t feel any better than the anger and bitterness, it just makes me feel hopeless.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (143)

    Sam

    March 11th, 2017 at1:10 PM

    I think I blame my father for a lot of what has gone wrong with me. He was never there for me , whenever I needed him. I dont know how to let that feeling go. There was a time in my life when I had no money to even eat and he spared nothing while he easily could have. He back stabbed me every time I trusted him with money or work. He put me out of my own business that I built on my own. Borrowed money from me and never returned it, and claimed to never take it either. To this day he continues his acts and tells me that he cares for me. Just doesnt stop. Should I just move to another country where he’s non existent ?

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (144)

    Ncl

    April 22nd, 2017 at6:20 AM

    I took my daughter to a new psychiatrist to help her with her depression. Since she was 10 she has seen at 4 psychiatrists and 5 psychologists. Has taken medication and nothing has worked. She never really opened up to any of her therapists or talked about what bothers her. We have talked on numerous occasions. She blames her father and me for everything. Her failure to find a job, her relationships with men , everything. She’s even upset that politically we’re different. I’ve tried to be so understanding always getting her whatever she needs. In fact my oldest daughter from a prior marriage has always said that we spoil her too much. Yet I always protect her and defend her. I’m exhausted trying to help her. She wants to control ME! She gets upset if I don’t see things her way in my marriage. I tell her we’re fine, don’t worry about me, take care of yourself. All I hear every time we talk is how her lousy relationship with her father has affected her whole life and how she picks guys that are like him unconsciously. Then they are abusive towards her. She believes my husband is abusive with me because he raises his voice when angry and I just take it. Yes he may raise his voice , I have too. No I don’t just take it I tell him to stop shouting or I walk away. He has never laid a hand on me or her in anger. I am not afraid of him. Her perception is totally exaggerated. I’m no shrinking violet , I would never allow a man to abuse me. But she says I’m in denial. So ridiculous on her part and just another way for her to blame us for her problems. We’ve tried to give her a normal upbringing. All the family traditions, schooling including a four year university degree, vacations. We support her 100%. Her friends come over all the time. They know us well and can see we give her everything. But her anger and the way she lashes out at us is so unfair and depressing. I don’t know how to help her anymore. The new psychiatrist gave her medication but she already told me that she doesn’t like her to open up to her. I told her to select a psychologist of her choice to go to.
    How do you find a good therapist? It’s been so hard to find the right one.
    Thanks

    Reply

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    Anna

    April 22nd, 2017 at8:35 PM

    So sorry, I just went to a few therapists on my own, I wish my mom would have taken me since age 10 I had a lot of problems. you trying to get you’re daughter help shows how much you love her. I did the same for my daughter since 9 grade she’s 22 in collage now she didn’t want to go then, and I couldn’t find any one to help her she was a bit shy and I didn’t want her to struggle now she wants to go and I’ll try to find her another one I just looked on line and made an appt she said it didn’t help back then maybe it wasent a good match I would like to go myself but it’s to much money for me. You’re daughter dosent know how lucky she is to have you, trying to help her a lot of people don’t have that, i didn’t. it’s funny how things work I’m nothing like my mom thank God. I would do anything for my kids I love them so much. Hope things get better for you.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (146)

    Ncl

    May 12th, 2017 at12:30 PM

    Thank you Anna for your kind words. I love my daughter very much. I will never abandon her. I’ll keep trying to get her the help she needs. I’m not getting any younger and I want both my daughters to be happy and living the life they want. I keep pushing her to make that first appt. She’s an adult, it has to come from her. I’ll keep praying that she does that. I don’t care that she blasts us to her therapist. I know I’ve done and will continue to do all I can for her. I know I’ve been a good , caring mother. I don’t have anything to prove. All I want is for her to feel better about herself and move on with her life.
    Good luck to you with your daughter too. I hope you find a therapist that she likes.
    If someone told me that parenting was going to be this hard , I still would do it all over again.
    Best wishes

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (147)

    Heather

    March 23rd, 2018 at1:58 AM

    Good day.I’d like to start by stating your story loses a great deal of value and meening droning on and on in far too much personal detail about Gloria’s particular experience, and suggest that in future you might summarize in a single and short paragraph.Also , after forcing myself to read in it’s entirety hoping to get to the good stuff, how it is you suggest moving forward, after ALL THAT READING, you THEN choose to summarize how one might move forward in a short and simple ‘do this’ paragraph , insinuating that the answer to an incredibly complex situation is , for the most part, all in all, once mastered, fairly simple and straightforward, AND WHATS WORSE, you offer no suggestion HOW one might ‘do’ as advised!Good god, no wonder poor Gloria is stuck and I strongly advise you to review all of your cases, their progress, if any, since seeking you out, and take those findings to a seasoned senior in your field who HAS SUCCESSFULLY advised clients and experienced some real lasting positive and meeningful change, and see if they may not review your style and technique.Failing that, go back to the drawing board and maybe focus your studies on some EVIDENCE BASED AND PROVEN THERAPIES BECAUSE YOU ARE HELPING NO ONE AND IN FACT HARMING THEM AS YOUR FAILING THEM YOU ARE ALSO INSTILLING IN THEM A BELIEF THAT THEY CANNOT BE HELPED WITH TREATMENT DESPITE COMPLIANCE AND THEREFORE THEY ARE HOPELESS, AND INSTEAD OF REACHING OUT FOR HELP IN DISTRESS THEY MAY REACH FOR A GUN OR A BOTTLE OF PILLS…you get my meening.I apologize if this is harsh, and difficult to hear, and I HOPE YOU DO NOT DISCARD IT AS HAVING NO VALUE because you do not know its source, or because it is critical and feels like an attack it has no real value and should be discarded, it does not serve a constructive purpose, IT IS NOT meant simply to attack you OR to make you feel guilty , I SIMPLY TRULLY ASK YOU TO EXAMINE IF THEIR MAY BE SOMETING TO WHAT I AM CLAIMING HAS TRANSPIRED IN BOTH YOUR WRITING AND YOUR TREATMENT OF YOUR PATIENT AND IF IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE THAT YOU ARE DOING HER S DISERVICE DESPITE YOUR BEST EFFORTS AND INTENTIONS.I am NOT trying to say you wake up each morning rubbing your hands together maniacally seething “how will I destroy another soulk today” muwahahaha, NOR that you believe yourself to be an infallable angel working to serve god and and your beliefs to be absolute, I simply AM stating, despite your desire to do good and help change others in a way that allows them to lead more productive and fullfilling lives, you are failing.I apologise if you are offened in HOW I have done this and admit it may leave something to be desired in tactic but hope my message is seen and received.Regards.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (148)

    get real

    December 13th, 2018 at4:12 PM

    my parents took a million dollars from me. all of this namaste bulls*** is kind of obnoxious. that money is my retirment, safety for my family and literally years of my life. on top of this they vilify me as a bad son and live in complete luxury. I don’t want these people in my life.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (149)

    Sibling

    May 14th, 2019 at9:23 AM

    My brothers are like this. They continually are victims. When I see them all they can remember is something bad that happened. When a 70 plus year old man wants to whine about What Mommy or Daddy did when they were 10 years old you don’t really want to be around them. They get angry with me when I don’t want to hear it. Sure our parents made some mistakes but I made mistakes and my brothers have also made mistakes. My brothers have said some very unnecessary cruel things to many people inside of and outside of the family so I wish they would realize they are an example of the old proverb ‘ people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones’. Life does not come with instructions. Everybody makes mistakes. Why should our parents be constantly attacked for their mistakes and we as children must always be forgiven.
    I think it is important to realize that nobody grows up without scars and nobody has a perfect childhood. I remember both good and bad about my childhood. I think everybody does. I also think once you turn 18 it is time to figure out how to make your own life a good one and how to do good in the world. But don’t do good and make it about how bad your parents were and blah blah blah when I was 10 this happened and it was wrong. At some point you’re going to figure out how to make that day a tiny segment of time in your long life and not assign so much importance to it.
    Life is hard. You have to do work to make yourself a person worth being around. Being stuck in the resentment of adolescence and early adulthood does not help you in any way in your life .
    So please don’t keep adding each day of your adult life to the toxic stew by thinking about whatever bothers you every day as you age and progress in life. Find other memories to think about or make them.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (150)

    Audrey

    January 25th, 2020 at6:11 PM

    Sibling, this gives me hope. I was reading all the angry children comments and I lost hope that my daughter would ever forgive me. I did abuse her as a teenager but as her mother I thought it was helping her. I was horrible and crazy. No excuses for me. I apologized and changed. It’s been hard because I don’t blame her for being angry. I deserve it. But, you gave me hope that maybe,just maybe she will forgive me. I know scars don’t go away completely but they do fade. Hopefully,her scars will fade.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (151)

    Anonymous

    March 29th, 2021 at6:24 AM

    This is a difficult topic. The problem with family dysfunction is that the patterns keep repeating throughout the relationship. Unless negative issues and behaviors are acknowledged and addressed, the dynamic continues to play out. And while it’s fine to say, as an adult you have to take responsibility for yourself – repeating toxic patterns on a loop with such a foundational relationships as a parent is difficult. I’m wondering if acceptance (that there are toxic behaviors) and permission to dismiss their dysfunctional opinions / actions, is a more healthy option.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (152)

    Nevermore

    October 29th, 2021 at2:35 PM

    The projection of guilt is really unbelievable, here. First off, children never asked to be born; procreation in itself is criminal. Secondly, children have every right to be angry at their (especially abusive) parents. A counselor many decades ago told me that even though my parents may have had sad stories, it was not what I needed. I agree. Anyone who says we should forgive and move on because it is what Jesus would want, is delusional. Jesus is a fictitious character, and it is usually these delusional people who are abusing others in the first place. Being at peace with yourself does not come from forgiving others; it comes from self-compassion and self-love; the others are clueless, else they would not be abusers.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (153)

    Matthew

    November 12th, 2021 at7:56 AM

    my dad had sex with the UPS man

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (154)

    K

    January 3rd, 2022 at10:38 PM

    What i find extremely weird is that every time i go to my therapist with the purpose of talking about my parents they try to argue for them but when i go to discuss another topic and take full accountability for what i’m doing they automatically start questioning me on how long it has been since my dad takes xanax and seroxat or how unpredictable my mom is.
    I have come to accept my parents with their flaws. What has hurt me most throughout the years were the cruel names my mother calls me and her unpredictable emotional outbursts. She did not ever have any nuance in how she perceives me, i’m always an obedient angel or the worst person alive in her eyes. That did start somewhere around 14, when she found out (by violating my privacy and reading all my messages with my friends) that i am bisexual. A lot of shaming and isolating me from my friends and everything i was passionate about came from that;my orientation made a monster and a sexual degenerate, my interest for art or abstract topics have been labeled as shameful and as something that would be punished, the fact that that i was imaginative was as well taken as “self inducing psychedelic trances” and also working with the devil, goddamn it she even took me to a priest to tell me that, lying down at his knees while she was sobbing was so fricking humiliating. After I came out of that, freshly entering high school, i was left completely emotionally numb, with horrible mood swings, zero self-esteem and sense of self. I did not think i would come out of that, and the inability to feel anything often left me feeling desperate and suicidal. not to say that for the first year they still stalked all my social media and what i was terrified every time i would find some music that i liked or write in a journal that they’d find out and scold me for it. To this day i still flinch when my dad comes in and i have music on and he always asks me with a certain sadness why because he likes my music but it s just so deeply engraved in me to hide.

    Things got lighter eventually, and by the third year i started gradually feeling stuff again, having passions, a personality, making friends , everyone said that they saw a change in me for the better, that i was actually speaking. The mood swings stayed, the dissociation stayed, the catastrophic mindset stayed with me and i would lie if i said they don’t impact my life and my relationships.

    I avoid fighting with my mom at all costs, because if i do she will call me a weirdo and a degenerate monster again and she will justify her behavior by telling me that i deserve it.

    And i used to really hate her for that but now i accept she is an imperfect human being, and do my best to work with the deck of cards i’ve been given in life, but man, sometimes i wish she did apologise. Idk i’m just hurt and this post felt invalidating to a certain degree. Like i should be allowed to have negative feelings towards the people who’ve hurt me , i accept all the nuances but it still hurt me.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (155)

    lisa v.

    January 11th, 2022 at5:24 AM

    I’m very similar to Gloria. But my therapist never says anything constructive. It’s been 2 years and I am re living the same patterns. I talk about how my mother was a narcisst and how she demloshied my sense of self, and my therapist stands there looking at me like I am telling something very normal and common. When it happens, I feel the shame and self-questioning begins. I tell her if i am mad. She never answers a solid sentence. And that drives me mad after therapy. I said I wanted to quit last week and she said it is wrong for me, and I’m transfering my mother to her! This made me even more furious, I am not transfering anything! I just wanted from my f*** therapist to heal me!
    What am i missing? I don’t want to go there anymore. Am i running away?

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (156)

    Sophie

    February 11th, 2022 at4:52 AM

    These is no excuse for abusing children. I had more discipline than I deserved. I mean beatings. I grew up in a cult that doesn’t allow children to have any individuality. Sure blaming your parents isn’t that constructive but you know I wasted decades blaming myself.

    These is no excuse for abuse but i guess you read about it in a book because this article is crap.

    “they did they best” puh-lease

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (157)

    Rale

    April 15th, 2022 at6:47 PM

    Victims shouldn’t blame their rapists too?

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (158)

    Z

    May 2nd, 2022 at7:34 AM

    In Reply to Lisa V:
    You sound very similar to my wife who was systematically abused by a Narcissist mother for 20 years. She tried a few therapists, none of which were of any use. They were very expensive and in one case actually made things worse!
    After much studying and research she discovered a Canadian called Tim Fletcher who runs a remote healing service called LIFT and has helped my wife immensely.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (159)

    Sak

    May 17th, 2022 at12:42 AM

    I blamed my parents, my brother, teachers, bullies, men that sexually assaulted me, and anyone else I could for my struggles, which turned out to be Borderline Personality Disorder. It wasn’t until one day when a psychologist after reading a list of all the wrongs people had committed that destroyed me, commented, “Wow! It must be wonderful having absolutely no any responsibility for yourself! You don’t have to grow, to change, to think, to feel. Nothing! It’s all up to them! But how do you expect to make them do the work for you?” I became incensed and walked out of her office, never to return. But her words haunted me. And while it took time, I began to realize that I had made myself a prisoner to the past. With time, perseverance, hard work and therapy I learned to forgive and let go of things and incidents outside my control. I learned to forgive, knowing that I wasn’t the only person with problems. But more so, I no longer needed to carry all that hurt and anger with me, weighing me down. I forgave everything – not for others, but for myself. I worked on healing rather than ruminating over yesteryear. Some relationships grew stronger as a result. But most importantly, I was finally in control of my own happiness.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (160)

    St

    July 23rd, 2022 at2:28 PM

    This article painfully ignores that some damage and some wounds may be permanent. Wishful thinking does not fix it.

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (161)

    carmen

    November 27th, 2022 at1:55 AM

    Yes me too sometimes I still feel angry about my parents ,because I was a girl,but they would have prefered a boy! So they made me feel it everyday until I was 18 years old! Actualy they made me feel it ,like always dressing me up even when I was a teenager,with only boy’s clothes!,that’s making me wear short boys trousers with buttons and leather end suspenders,a beret on my head nand boy’s nylon buttoned overalls too,+whipping me bare ass until I was 18 with the french Martinet!( a leather flogger,with non less than 14 thick leather tails 50cm long!),everyday ,wich really stinged me!,Actualy I was whipped so often that I could’nt sit on a chair anymore ,unless I put a cushion on it!Even my shoes were boy’s laced and flat shoes too!Even my school freinds including boys seeing how I was dreed told me ,for us you are okay but normaly can’t your parents buy you skirts even if they have suspenders ,but at least it’s for girls ,and even your nylon overalls they are just like ours, too Normaly you should be wearing female nylon overalls and with female colours ,Pink,Yellow,white,but no they are just like ours?! Even my mother was called by the school prncipal asking her why in fact I was always dressed up like a boy,but she answerd her I dress my girl as it pleases me you have nothing to say ,is tha all ,and she just left the principal on the pavement! so there yougo nothing changes for me ,not before reacing 18,then I left home ans started to dress finaly like a yung woman ,but when I think of it I don’t have good memories at all ,Like if I may say so personnaly I don’t follow girls who like to ressemble boys,I’ve had my share of that!

    Reply

  • Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (162)

    Mary

    December 17th, 2022 at6:32 PM

    Telling people who grew up with severely abusive parents who damaged your mental and physical health that it’s not their parents’ fault they now have problems in jobs, relationships, and daily functioning is unreasonable. Forgiving doesn’t cure expensive health problems that resulted from being denied medical care as a child. The brains of abused children develop differently. Childhood abuse (emotional as well as physical) causes brain damage. Your brain will never be normal. So it’s easy to tell someone to take responsibility for their own problems, but those problems WERE caused by my parents. They did not “do their best”. I was severely neglected (not fed, not given medication I needed for a health condition I had, had my stomach stomped on, threatened to be killed with a knife, and pulled across the floor by my hair. They also said cruel and sadistic things to me that destroyed my self worth. So no, my parents weren’t “doing their best”. I did go on to escape and took responsibility for my life. I went to college and worked. But don’t tell me I should forgive my parents.

    Reply

Blaming Your Parents Hurts You Most - GoodTherapy.org Therapy Blog (2024)

FAQs

Why shouldn't you blame your parents? ›

Blaming parents means you still give them the upper hand in your own inner world. It means you still unconsciously expect them (or someone else who's filling that void now), to change their behavior so you can feel good, whole or enough. This doesn't work, of course.

How to deal with blaming parents? ›

By recognizing the humanity in our parents, accepting the reality of imperfection, empathizing with their struggles, and embracing our own flaws, we can begin the journey to forgiveness and experience the profound benefits of letting go of blame and resentment.

How to ignore parents' negative comments? ›

Remove yourself from the situation

If the hurtful comments become too personal (such as “you are already 35, why are you not married?”), remind yourself that there is no need to continue to stand (or sit) around. Take time-outs for yourself to breathe and refocus your thoughts.

Why do children blame parents for their mistakes? ›

Why Our Kids Blame Us. It's hard to fail. It feels bad, and, for many kids, it's experienced as shameful and embarrassing. Projecting blame is a way to deflect and protect themselves from these difficult feelings.

What is the mother blaming theory? ›

Researchers hypothesize that mother-blame has functioned as a form of societal control, a way to name and reinforce the status quo. In Bad Mothers, Umansky writes, “Evil stepmothers, who jeopardized children's inheritance upon the father's death, have populated fairy tales and folklore for centuries.

Is it ever OK to disrespect your parents? ›

In addition to not wallowing in bad feelings, it's important to make amends with your parents if you behave rudely. Even though you may disagree with them, your parents still care about you. When you are rude to them you may hurt their feelings in addition to being disrespectful.

What is adult child syndrome? ›

Adult child syndrome is characterized by an inability to navigate adult decisions and relationships due to the long-term impact of childhood trauma. The term “adult child” was first used by in this context by the organization Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA).

What to do when your adult daughter blames you for everything? ›

Instead, focus on pausing, listening to her grievances, and validating her feelings rather than defending yourself and potentially making her feel guilty. Try to stay neutral. Offer responses that validate her feelings without defending your actions: “I'm so sorry you're hurting.

What is toxic parent behavior? ›

A toxic mother or father can be controlling, demanding, and harsh, putting you at high risk for long-term mental and physical health issues well into adulthood. Toxic parent traits include deeply disturbing behaviors that can affect a child's mental health at any age.

What is cold mother syndrome? ›

Cold mother syndrome refers to a parenting style characterized by emotional distance, dismissiveness, and rejection. This type of mothering is often accompanied by a lack of emotional availability and neglect of a child's emotional needs.

Is my mom toxic or am I overreacting? ›

Common signs of a toxic mother include ignoring boundaries, controlling behavior, and abuse in severe cases. Toxic mothers cannot recognize the impacts of their behavior, and children grow up feeling unloved, overlooked, or disrespected.

What to do when your parents hurt you emotionally? ›

How to Deal With Toxic Parents
  1. Common Toxic Traits.
  2. Get Rid of Guilt.
  3. Don't Try to Change Them.
  4. Boundaries Are Key.
  5. No Need to Explain.
  6. Practice Self-Care.
  7. Set Up a Support System.
  8. Change Your Story.
Apr 14, 2023

Is it bad to blame your parents for everything? ›

Continually blaming parents can keep an adult stuck in the past. Parents are not the only contributors to individual identity. Temperament, genetics, and other relationships and experiences are also influences. Expressing current wants and needs can improve a person's relationship with parents.

Why do some people blame their parents for everything? ›

This is the ethos of parental determinism: the notion that what parents do is a key cause determining our personal and societal fate. Not only does it fail to capture the complexity of the problems that face us, it also becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, reducing the control people feel they hold over their lives.

When someone hurts you but blames you? ›

This type of behavior can also be a form of emotional abuse. If you're finding it hard not to feel blamed or responsible for someone else's feelings, therefore, consider taking a break from that person or putting some distance between you and them. This can help you protect yourself and focus on your own well-being.

Should we blame our parents? ›

It's so tempting to blame our parents when we acknowledge how persistently our past impacts our present. Psychiatry and psychology have inadvertently created so much harm in this practice with its history of crucifying parents with accusations of being “refrigerator” mothers or “helicopter” parents.

Is it normal to blame parents? ›

This idea – that acknowledging one's hurt as a child involves blaming one's parents – is very common. And it is very natural too: if I admit that I came to some harm (emotional or physical) through my parents' action or lack of action, it implies they are at fault.

Why is blame toxic? ›

Playing the blame game can also lead to toxic relationships as people turn against each other and attack one another. Instead, promoting personal accountability, openness, a clear division of responsibilities, and a solution-focused approach is more productive.

Should I blame my parents for my failure? ›

It is natural to reflect on our past and search for explanations for our successes and failures. Often, the temptation arises to place blame on our parents for the challenges we have faced. However, dwelling in blame can hinder personal growth and prevent us from taking responsibility for our own lives.

References

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