Growing up with a narcissistic parent is like living in a house of mirrors — except none of them show your reflection. Every emotion, every achievement, every wound is filtered through their ego. You become an extension of their image, not a person with your own.
Love feels like a transaction. Affection is earned, not given. And boundaries? They don’t exist — only the unspoken rule that their needs will always eclipse yours. You learn to anticipate their moods like weather patterns, hoping to avoid the storm.
But the hardest part isn’t the manipulation or the control. It’s the gaslighting — the quiet, relentless erosion of your reality. You begin to question your own memory, your instincts, your worth. You start to wonder if you’re the selfish one, if you’re too sensitive, if you made it all up.
Healing from that kind of parent isn’t linear. It’s learning to believe your own voice again. It’s rebuilding your identity from the rubble of someone else’s illusion.
And for many of us, it’s not about blaming. It’s about reclaiming.
-Semajā Holloman
—
This post was previously published on medium.com.
—
More About Narcissistic Parents
The Narcissistic Parent
What My Children Said About Having a Narcissistic Parent
When Narcissistic Parents Choose their Favorite Child. Is Your Sibling the Chosen One?
***
Love relationships? We promise to have a good one with your inbox.
Subcribe to get 3x weekly dating and relationship advice.
Did you know? We have 8 publications on Medium. Join us there!
***
–
Photo credit: darkzo On Unsplash
Super cool!