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It's not unusual to have a more or less complicated relationship with your parents. After all, they're human just like you, navigating the same complex feelings and emotions. However, there's a line between familial disagreement and toxic behavior. And Reddit user snoofle-science wanted to find it.

So they made a post on the platform, asking its users to share what signs have they noticed indicate that their moms and dads were lousy caregivers. From not being able to show affection to desperate attention cravings, here are some of the most popular problems that people attribute to their upbringing.

#1

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents You feel intimidated by everyone around you, you feel like you're never good enough for anyone, no matter how much they tell you that you don't need to try so hard, and you generally have low self-worth.

Edit: Wow. I don't know whether to feel encouraged that so many people know where I’m coming from with this, or heartbroken about it. Either way, thank you, everyone.

mR-gray42 , Anubhav Saxena Report

#2

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents A second chance to do it better when you have kids. Every time I got angry or upset with my own children, I would take a breath and think about what my mom would do—and then do the exact opposite. Lots of laughter and forgiveness in our house and zero violence. My mantra has always been “there is value in a bad example.”

Slow-Distribution119 , Ilya Pavlov Report

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Magpie
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well done!!!! I admire and respect your courage and sanity.

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#3

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents Doing everything yourself, not asking for help, because you knew no help was coming.

nch1307 , frank mckenna Report

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Magpie
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Was shocked reading a re-imagined story about Cinderella " other kids knew they could ask any adult for help - and get it, not Rella ". My sister and I were both kind of Cinderella.

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Cold Contagious
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I totally appreciate your take on the classic tale. I completely understand and agree, because I lived this life from the age of 6 years old. When my family; brother, step-dad, and mother were in the living room visiting with the next door neighbor; father and his 17 year old son. The neighbor's son kept grabbing me, wrestling around, tickling me, and purposefully letting his hands and fingers rub over and into my 6 year old crotch. When I suddenly yelled, "You're not gonna hurt my kitty cat no more!" My step-dad said, "What the hêll did you just say?" So I repeated it using the 17 year old neighbor's name, stating that he wasn't going to hurt my kitty cat no more, when my step-dad yelled at me to get my âss to my room and don't come out. I ran upstairs, slammed my door, and locked it, but my step-dad came flying upstairs behind me, demanding to open the dâmn door now, cussing me for lying, embarrassing him, and slamming my door, but I was frozen in fear. He punched, cont.below

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Jordy G
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mother would leave me alone for 5-8 hours as a toddler to go work because she simply didn’t trust anyone to care for me. She would leave me bottles of milk and toys. The radio was always left on. Till this day I hate complete silence and always need some type of background noise.

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Cara G
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh my GOD. That you are even alive to type this comment borders on miraculous. Might I say, I'm grateful that you're here and are able/willing to talk about it. Most of us are probably reading this because we had toxic upbringings and we can relate but your comment really punched me in the gut. You deserved so much better than this. I hope you're doing very well ❤

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Hoodoo
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People often think I'm just a "hard worker, extremely independent, or very industrious." Not relyin on people brings me great comfort- no disappointments, no explosions, no ridicule, no fear. I too can read emotions in others- esp anger. It's in m' hard-drive.

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KnightOwl
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yep. I call it Hyperindependence. After years of never getting help with anything or getting help but paying a heavy price for it, I just do everything myself even if it's harder and takes way longer.

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Sarah
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And any help that did come had so many strings attached, everything got worse. Best to just suffer through and do it myself.

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Chancey
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you don't depend on/expect anything from others you never get let down.

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Chucky Cheezburger
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh gawd, I am so this way. Even when help is offered,I have a hard time accepting it.

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Birgit M
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Same here, Chucky! I don‘t want to be a burden and I‘m just used to managing everything on my own.

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Deborah Enwright
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

56 y.o. still feel the exact same way, when my appendix ruptured I drove myself to the hospital so as not to " bother" anyone

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Sherri Bailey
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

After work one day I called a friend to tell them my car won't start. They said I'll come pick you up. So I walked home. Took me 2 hours. I got home and they were sitting on my steps. They had been at my jobs parking lot for over an hour looking for me. They said I'll be right there. I heard nobodys coming.

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Michelle C
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My experience had been a little different in that I was afraid to ask for help when I needed it because I felt like I had to fend for myself so I wouldn’t inconvenience and hurt others by being a nuisance, even though I did need the help when I wanted to ask or actually asked for it.

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David Gripon
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or not asking for help, because you expect someone to tell you you are doing it wrong.

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Powerful Katrinka
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm an addiction counselor. If I had to name the single characteristic shared by all my clients, it's the inability to ask for help, because help was never forthcoming when they were children. Tragically, this trait kills people.

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Jenna Hollander
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm 90% sure my leg is broken but we're going to Florida in a week and me going to the Dr could ruin the trip

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Öz Deniz Boro
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Go to that Dr. I did that when I was a kid. We were playing voleyball with my couzins and I fell down on the camp fire. My whole palm got burned. The pain was intense. I was 8-9 years old. I begged my aunts to take me back home to treat my burn without saying anything to my mum. She would have started screaming and blaming everyone if she knew. And spoiled the picnic for everybody else.

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Amber Barefoot
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I now have a partner who has a really hard time dealing with my "independance" it took us 3 years living together to finally make me realise that I wasn't sharing the simplest resonsibility of chore and him realising I wasn't doing that on purpose. My ex partners all exploited my "hyperindependance". I have a hard time accepting my current partner is not and is actually challenging me to relax and delegate.

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StellaLehggs
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yup. I've gotten better because I have people that are willing to help me now, but I still get hung up on wanting to do everything myself because if I can't, that means I'm stupid and a burden. 🙄

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Mariaf
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or get the help but then be continously mocked, laughed at and humiliated for needing help, even when said task was above your physical capabilities. I remember being mocked and laughed at for months by my father for beeing so "weak" when at 6yo I could not lift a full pretty heavy bag off the floor and put it on top of the dresser.

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Bonesko
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I didn't realize I did this until a few years ago my boyfriend getting frustrated telling me to ask him for help. I just became accustomed to doing everything myself from too early an age.

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Andy Frobig
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've learned to do a lot of things because I feel like I don't deserve help, even from people whose job it is to help. On the flip side, my sisters married men who would do everything for them, and they like to brag about how they never have to pump their own gas.

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Fester Sixonesixonethree
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Damn... I even drove myself to the hospital when I thought I was having a heart attack...

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Myriah Fields
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i literally would tell my mom I was sick and she would reply with "well what does that have to do with me" and send me to take care of her infant son then get mad at me when he got sick

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Fickle_Pickle
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes bc I’ve been disappointed countless times before. I’m always available, dropping everything to help someone out. Only to be given excuses when it’s my turn to ask for help.

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Robert B
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This one is a bit weird for me. My parents, and by extension my brother and I, did almost everything ourselves. No repairmen at our house. And so I grew up with a can-do mindset, but when I couldn’t do I was lost and just gave up. Bit double-edged

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Elaine Lavallee
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This definitely describes my childhood, adding in a mother who never once hugged me or showed affection but expected my sister and I to do virtually all the work raising our younger siblings.

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SCP 4666
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

this is sol relatable. also, the `help´ wasn`t usually much of a help

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Eliyahu Rooff
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Same thing here. It actually made me so self-sufficient that no matter what the task, I wouldn't know how to do it with someone helping. I've even built a small barn by myself. On the other hand, I'm always the one who can be counted on to pitch in and help other people.

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Mary Topper
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

...to the point of actually compromising your health because you didn't even realize the option of seeking care for a problem.

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Bonny Saxon
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not only was no help coming, but criticism for it not being finished earlier.

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Nicki
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This was how A LOT Gen-xers were raised. We were like feral kids, pushed out of the house and told to come back when the streetlights came on. Then at 18 pushed out the house and left to "figure it out". "it" meaning life...

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Anna Nilsson
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I went often sick to school instead of telling my parents I was sick - cudn't handle the misbelief or "Is it Skubbsjukan (swedish name for pretending to be sick to skip school)?" question every damn time.

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Mufi Hayes
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

or the help was no help at all! Or you waited forever for help that never came just broken promises. Or worst of all, "you don't need that, need to do that....."

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Lee Henderson
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My dad owned a mom and pop grocery and gas station. As a child, I worked for him and would ask questions: "How do you know what price to put on the stock?" His answer was always "If I tell you then you will be as smart as I am".

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Penny Kemper
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But I learned this in my adult life.... my family will help my friends never do, so friends aren't that important to me

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Etta McFadden
Community Member
1 year ago

This comment has been deleted.

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John Doe
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My sister and I found our mother in the tub dying from self indicted wounds. We're both pretty f'ed up. I think she has the right choice though.

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Kika González
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A LOT of my times I really needed help in milestones, no help was coming

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Alana Voeks
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or you get the usual "you need to fix this" when you aren't told how at all. This makes it super f*****g irritating when talking to people who think you should just suddenly know everything because you're an adult. I hate these types.

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#4

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents Never believing a compliment. Always being anxious that people are mad at you/ignoring you if they're being quiet/not responding. Not being able to deal with confrontation/conflict in a constructive/healthy way.

Basically you get shitty people skills and emotional damage.

nisharfa , Joice Kelly Report

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Rylosalex
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Same here. Whenever someone told me that I did a good job on something I would instantly think "Did I really do a good job? or is she/he just feeling sorry for me?"

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#5

Over-explain the tiniest issues because of a compulsive need to justify every thought, action or inaction

darermave Report

#6

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents You can't identify your own emotions immediately, or sometimes at all, but can identify others without them having to say a word. Don't know how to react to things in the moment, and are extremely mature for your age. Mature kids often aren't a result of great parenting.

Louminous19 , Arwan Sutanto Report

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a fruity dream of delusion
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i cannot say enough how true this is. i’ve wondered why i am always so uncomfortable if i am unable to read someone, and this really explains it.

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#7

I had to sneak out of the house through my bedroom window to go to school and take my finals because my mom locked my room from the outside. This was punishment because I wouldn’t do the dishes because I was cramming for my exams. To top it off after she locked me in my room she went to the breaker and turned off the lights to my bedroom so I wouldn’t have any lighting to study and I had to spend the whole night studying with a flashlight.

I aced all my exams. And instead of my mother being proud of me she locked me up in my room for a week for sneaking out.

I ended up going to college and grad school in STEM and made something of myself. And now she brags to people that I am successful because of her. When she says that I tell her and everyone “absolutely not! I’m successful DESPITE her”.

Witty_Goose_7724 Report

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weewoo
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

oh i am so happy for this person. they managd to get good grades with bad parents? now thats a great achievment

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#8

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents The panicked rush to jump and start “doing something” when you hear someone come in the house. Lest you be subjected to a barrage of insults and commands.

sadhandjobs , Volha Flaxeco Report

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Kristi Savage Cook
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

OMG this! Heaven forbid I'd be resting while nobody was home to see or comment....

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#9

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents Why is nobody mentioning the silent foot steps?

When you grow up with parents that will yell at you for existing you develop the ability to hide your presence as much as possible and always try to keep your noise and visibility to a minimum.

xaxiwan102 , Jake Hills Report

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weewoo
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

and you also leanr whos steps are whos when they are walking up and down the stairs.

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#10

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents Emotional numbness especially in the face of bad things. Once you've seen enough shit certain things just don't faze you anymore

UnhappyField102 , - - Report

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SparkleFarts
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And not knowing how to comfort someone. Like I know I should feel something, but I just don't.

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#11

Okay lets do it -

self doubt, self esteem issues and overall not feeling good enough or feeling like you have an intense obligation or expectation to fulfil to keep your parents happy.

The inability to know what you want or not knowing how to say no when someone asks something of you in fear they will react poorly.

Inability to be assertive and telling people what you are/aren't ok with.

Not having high values of yourself and putting everyone else before you.

Feeling guilt the minute you 'let someone down.'

TRIGGER WORDS - example 'I'm disappointed'

Having a habit of toxic and repetitive relationships with friends and partners. Also switching around friend groups often or having little to none.

Feeling emotionally inept or being extremely emotional and feeling like you cannot express it.

Difficulty with maintaining life skills, self care, hygiene, finances ect

feeling like a child stuck in an adults body

anon Report

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#12

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents You apologize for everything you do, good or bad.

JBLBEBthree , Arif Riyanto Report

#13

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents Paranoia when people are just being nice. Like why are you being friendly? What do I have that you want from me?

chilifavela , Fernando @cferdophotography Report

#14

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents Being a people-pleaser to the point of it being detrimental to yourself

Wips_and_Chains , Ryoji Iwata Report

#15

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents being really good at hiding things (physical or mental). being able to sneak something to my room, being able to look like i haven't cried even though i was five minutes ago.

soggy-sleeves , bady abbas Report

#16

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents Being afraid that you'll continue the cycle and treat your kids terribly

EnialisHolimion , Kelli McClintock Report

#17

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents You are in your 40s and still crave attention and validation from anyone at all because you were ignored all the time.

JBLBEBthree , Alex Blăjan Report

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Lakota Wolf
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

::raises hand:: I'm 40 right now and I still have "the class clown" personality because at least if people are laughing at me, they're paying attention to me, right? Right?!

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#18

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents When i tell stories of my childhood that i think are funny but my friends stare in horror

probablykelz , Daiga Ellaby Report

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Lakota Wolf
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Haha, omg guys, so once when I was 6, my dad was about to leave on a business trip and my mom grabbed me, pressed the revolver she'd gotten from my grandpa into my throat under my chin, and told my dad that if he left on one more business trip, she'd kill us kids and then herself! Isn't that hilarious?" (that is a true story from my childhood, sadly)

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#19

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents Being surprised people will apologize and want to talk out and deal with an issue instead of screaming and pretending everything is fine and never mentioning why there was a fight or argument at all.

ToastedMaple , kevin laminto Report

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Lakota Wolf
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was always terrified of my mother as a young child, because one moment she would be screaming at me, beating me, and throwing me across the room, and then 5 minutes later she'd come into the room smiling with a plate of cookies she'd just baked all "Do you want a cookie, Cryssie?" I was off-balance all the time because I had NO idea what I'd done to make her angry, nor why she suddenly wasn't angry AT ALL any more, and I was terrified that I'd do whatever I'd done to p**s her off again and she'd go nuclear again in the next 30 seconds. I had no idea that that wasn't normal.

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#20

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents When you really don’t remember any good times you spent with them.

AverageLegoGameFan , Juliane Liebermann Report

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Lisa H
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There were some good times in my childhood, but I was constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop because it always, always did. Every day, good or bad, would end with my dad being in a bad mood for some stupid reason.

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#21

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents Not reacting appropriately to ordinary situations. Usually an overreaction to a normal situation or underreacting to very messed up situations.

ESQBOJaguar , Justin Snyder Photo Report

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Alexia
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah. This is when survival instincts kick in, based on previous experience with your parents. I overreacted so many times in normal situations, because I felt in danger - and obviously this affected my relationships.

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#22

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents My dad was yelling at me once and I couldn't take it so I made a snappy comment back. Instinctively I threw my hands up to block the blow I knew was coming. But then they both tried to convince me that my dad has never hit me before and why would I act like that.....so physically abusive and mentally abusive with gas lighting

DV_Police10 , Caleb Woods Report

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Lakota Wolf
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My older sister gets pissed when I talk about how abusive my mother was towards me. She'll say "Mom never HIT you!" Uh, mom used to cut me with the kitchen knives, not just hit me/throw me across the room. But my sister is my parents' biological child, and I'm adopted. My sister is just like my mother and is/was "the perfect child", so she was never yelled at or hit while we were growing up.

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#23

Can’t explain myself without crying

iiJojo Report

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Brazen
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Frustration tears, angry tears, sad tears, and tears from laughing too hard...basically all the crying. I'd give anything for this to not be a knee jerk reaction from my body.

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#24

Someone raises their voice- doesn't even have to be in anger; they could just have a deep voice but suddenly its *loud* - and your first reaction is to either shrink in on yourself or focus on anything but their face and wait for your throat to stop feeling so tight or for your eyes to stop watering.

Coffee_Addict019 Report

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a fruity dream of delusion
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

this!!! i have never been able to describe the feeling i get when someone becomes loud- it has always terrified me.

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#25

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents When, as an adult, you witness an example of good parenting - and experience a sense of shock, and get dizzy.

Journeyman-Joe , Sarah Medina Report

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Magpie
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

THIS. Spent a weekend at a friend's home. Was shocked how nice her parents were. Was shocked how she could joke *with* them.

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#26

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents You remember being severely neglected yet you were told “you are spoiled.”

Embarrassed-Swan3568 , Kelly Sikkema Report

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Lakota Wolf
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm apparently "spoiled" because I was adopted! My biological mother was an unmarried alcoholic/drug addict who already had two other children (from unknown fathers) and she didn't even have working utilities in her trailer. I was told from a very early age (5ish or so) that I needed to be grateful because I had been taken away from such a HORRIBLE situation and brought to have a "normal" life. Apparently that = me being spoiled.

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#27

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents Unable to form or desire romantic attachments and not to forget the numerous mental illnesses you have no control over because your parent doesn’t believe in poor mental health so allowed you to go undiagnosed your whole life :)

ooopsadestructy , Dương Hữu Report

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alex cosgrove
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mine treated me like I was slow. My twin was very book smart. Took a therapist when I was 16 to test my math skills (first diagnosis) and at 23 I got the full testing to find out, nope not slow.. lots of mental disabilities.. I cried hysterically because I finally had a name to the learning disabilities that plagued my life. Best day of my life.

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#28

Not being able to recognize affection or how to show it healthily.

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#29

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents A fantastic sense of humor

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Lakota Wolf
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Making jokes hides the pain! If you can make others laugh, even if they're laughing AT you, then you are a-o-kay. I'm a master "class clown"/comedian and most of my jokes are self-deprecating.

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#30

- Thinking you do everything wrong, even small daily tasks, and at a certain moment you hear other people compliment you about doing it well or asking why I am a perfectionist.

- Always apologizing for everything, multiple times

- When people say something, you suspect that they mean something else, something you did wrong, buy they won't tell you until they get so mad they burst.

- Extremely nauseous feelings when someone gets irritated or angry

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Kristi Savage Cook
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've tried to explain to my husband what it's like to ALWAYS feel that things are my fault. If anyone is ever unhappy in my circle, it's my fault and it's my responsibility to fix what's wrong. I think it It must be amazing not to feel this way.

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#31

I can never open up to them. No matter how big or small my problems are, because they'll just tell me I'm being dramatic.

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SparkleFarts
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yep. There have been a lot of days lately when I really needed to "talk to my mom" but that's just not an option

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#32

You don't talk to them anymore or want them in your life otherwise as an adult (e.g., not inviting them to your wedding, or want them around any potential children you may have).

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Magpie
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Cutting off all contact was one of the sanest things I have ever done for myself. And telling social services that my nephews must a NEVER be left alone with either grandparent was also. edit:Life is a bit complicated for them.

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#33

Lot of anger problems

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#34

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents They don’t want you to have any better of a life than they did

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Hatred Pony
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So much this. I had several opportunities as a teen that were never even discussed but shot down immediately. A trip to Greece for $400 with my class (better believe I would try to scrape that money together for my kids), an invitation to study abroad and the big one, admittance into art school my junior year of highschool. My mom never wanted me to succeed or have anything better than she ever had and she pulled opportunities out from under me any chance she had. I even won "sweetheart" at a Valentine's dance at church as a kid, I was so thrilled then because I never won a thing. In the car on the way home she told me about a lady who said I was very rude to her when she said I looked pretty. I couldn't then recall anything close to this situation , she called me a liar and made me feel awful. It wasn't until much later in life that I realized she was the liar.

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#35

My mother treats me like her personal therapist and I'm only 17. She asks me where she went wrong in raising my brother and I and I don't want to tell her because I'm scared of her when she yells.

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#36

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents Apologizing constantly

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#37

Even at 31 feeling like if I get close to anyone they'll find a way to take advantage of me

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#38

You're raised by people who can barely function, people who are basically at subsistence level. So you have no tools to be successful in the real world. There's no support other than vague crappy advice to just keep plugging along. You know that everything you get in life can disappear in a moment, and no one will be there to provide for you. Worse, your parents are expecting that you'll somehow magically provide for them in their old age. They send you out into the world with worse-than-s**t life skills, and they expect you to support them.

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T'Mar of Vulcan
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When your valid feelings are dismissed with the words, "You've got to be better than that."

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#39

Feeling weird when people tell you that they love you, recieving hugs, feeling weirded out when you have to give hugs, and my personal favorite, being at the end of the favorite's list

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a fruity dream of delusion
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i like hugs. but one of my friends constantly calls me her favorite, and is very affectionate, and i get very confused. like, why me??

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#40

Not knowing a lot of things that are "common sense" and not realizing til you're an adult yourself

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Magpie
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes as a student nurse there were some really basic things I didn't know. Like where adults use talc powder. *arm pits and groin.

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#41

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents If you're the eldest, an extreme urge to help and "save" your younger siblings, even to the detriment of your own mental health.

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Magpie
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm the youngest and I constantly tried to save my older sister. From her drug addictions, from the poverty, from her abusive husband.....and so on. It was *all* my fault.

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#42

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents When you are telling a story which you think is a funny story from your childhood, only for someone to turn around and tell you "That's not normal".

​

If you've grown up in a very dysfunctional household, then not only is your norm set at a very messed up bar, but things that would be horrifying to others might be funny to you because of where your norm was set at. Examples of this can include "funny stories" that actually featured a lot of violent or neglect.

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Lakota Wolf
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yep. I've told my friends "funny stories" of times when my mom cut me with kitchen knives, or times when she'd hit me only below the neck so that "no one would see the bruises", or how funny it was that when I was small and light, she'd throw me across the room and into the walls. My friends would be all O_O; and then hug me.

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#43

Parents that lean more on you in rough times when it should be 100% the other way around

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Lakota Wolf
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was 18 and planning to move out, when my dad had an accident that resulted in a catastrophic brain injury. He had such extensive brain damage that he was bedridden, could not speak/communicate or understand, had to wear diapers, and had to have a feeding tube installed. My mother refused to hire professional caregivers for him, so I was his primary caregiver for the next 21 years (he died last year). I never moved out. My dad was a wonderful person and a great father, so I willingly cared for him because I loved him, but it was pretty awful that my mother assumed that well OF COURSE I'd stay living at home and take care of him so that she could go to the casinos/on vacation whenever she wanted.

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#44

You can’t stick to your boundaries

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#45

Self-harm such as cutting

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Magpie
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And taking far too many pills and alcohol just to stop thinking about it all.

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#46

50 People Are Sharing The Signs That Made Them Realize They Were Raised By Toxic Parents Uncomfortably into Disney stuff well into old age. I've noticed that a lot of hardcore Disney fans AS ADULTS (I'm talking people who buy the plates, cups, figures, cookie jars, plush characters, etc) often have had bad parents or experiences as a kid. They probably are trying to hold on to some child like feeling that's still in them. Idk.

There's nothing wrong with being into Disney, but, at a certain point, I have to question what exactly went down in your household as a kid.

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Lakota Wolf
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm not into Disney specifically, but I'm 40 and I still buy stuffed animals for myself quite often.

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#47

Always screaming. Always angry. Never showed any physical affection. Completely out of tune with their children's lives.

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Alana Voeks
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Heyyyyyy. This is me 100%. Also never giving any life lessons, like don't lose your virginity to someone who shows you romantic affection for the first time! (Or ever teaching me about sex. Still yet to be taught, they still think I'm a virgin.)

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#48

I knew how to open a beer and pour it with minimal foam for my mom while she was driving.

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#49

You call them for advice and they give you literally the worst advice ever. So you have been doing the opposite haha

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Ronald Cookson
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hearing the phrase " when life hands you lemons,make lemonade" is the most repeated and worthless platitude I've ever heard.makes me want to choke the ever loving s**t out of the person who says it.

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#50

They told me the wrong date was my birthday. Didnt find out until my sixteenth birthday going for my drivers licence. Couldnt be bothered with getting it right, real nice of them.

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Alana Voeks
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mine is just always forgotten. 10/23. Not hard to remember, yet no one ever can. It's literally 0123 with the 0 and 1 flipped. It's not that hard. And I've never been anywhere even out of the city for my birthday because "education" was so "important" here. But since my brother's birthday was during the summer, we've celebrated his every time we went on vacation.

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