Children of Narcissists and Addicts

HANDLE WITH CARE –

Jan. 20, 2024 – Narcissistic parents are ignoring, controlling, blaming, self-absorbed, and intolerant or unaware of their children’s needs and of the effects of their behavior on other people. Children are much more vulnerable than other people … Similarly, addicts are preoccupied with themselves and their addiction. Although they may be able to empathize with their children during sober periods, other times they disappoint and emotionally abandon their children by responding in ways that shame or ignore their children’s needs and feelings. Both types of families are marked by interpersonal conflict between the parents and/or in sibling and parent/child relationships.

The result is that children of addicts and narcissists feel insecure and unsafe. Not knowing what a normal, healthy home environment is like, they’re unaware that they don’t feel safe and enter into similarly unsafe relationships. They tend to have mental health problems in adulthood, including unrecognized anxiety or chronic depression (dysthymia).