Whether we acknowledge it or not, we are heavily influenced by our upbringing. Although many people had a decent childhood, not everyone was as lucky. If you were raised by a narcissist, there might be emotional issues that you may need to address even in your adult years.
First off, let us explain what a narcissist is. A narcissist is someone who has an inflated sense of self-importance and constantly requires attention and admiration. This is also accompanied with problematic relationships and a lack of empathy. In this article, we will discuss some of the symptoms you may experience today, due to being raised by a narcissist.
Lack of self-confidence
Narcissistic parents shame their children and make them feel as if they are not good enough. They create unachievable expectations and are never satisfied. This makes children feel as if what they do is never enough, developing low self-esteem which will impact them through adulthood. This will bring about its own problems, as these children will never reach their potential in relationships and careers.
Quitting tendencies
Since people with narcissistic parents may lack confidence, they would be less inclined to go for and seek new opportunities. They would avoid situations which require significant effort due to the fear of failure. Narcissistic parents fail at making their children feel secure, therefore they are more likely to be impacted by rejection.
Highly self-critical
Considering that narcissistic parents are overly critical, their children will develop certain tendencies. They become self-critical and will overthink even the most minute things, such as the way they walk, talk and look.
Feelings of inferiority
People raised by narcissists are constantly hearing about their negative sides and will be influenced to believe that other people are better than them.
Psychological issues
The lack of appreciation by parents can lead to several complications such as anxiety and depression. When you are constantly reminded of your shortcomings, it is highly unlikely to develop an optimistic outlook.
Difficulties with communication
Due to the fact that narcissistic parents are less inclined to be receptive to their children’s opinions, they may feel that their views are not important and lack value. It is because of this, that children will face difficulty in articulating how they feel and would be afraid to speak up, even when it matters.
Children may face struggles when standing up to narcissistic parents because they would then threaten and withhold love, which is a very intimidating experience. Parents should be exceptionally careful with the upbringing of their children, especially when considering that this will influence their behaviour and how they react with their own kids in the future.
