Hello, my name is Evan, and I'm here to help!
From what you've shared, it seems like you've had some tough experiences in your intimate relationships. It's not easy to navigate these things, and it's understandable that you've had some challenges. It also seems like your relationship with your parents might not be as smooth as you'd like. It's never easy to feel blamed or misunderstood by those we love. These experiences can really take a toll on our mental health, and it's not surprising that you've been struggling with major depression. It's so important to have healthy outlets for our emotions, and it's clear that you've found ways to cope through sports and overeating. These are all valid ways to process your feelings, and it's admirable that you've found ways to take care of yourself.
It can be really tough to navigate family relationships and not feel like you're getting the love and support you need. It's also hard to learn how to interact with others in a healthy way when you haven't had the right role models. All of this can lead to some pretty big challenges in your own relationships, which can be really heartbreaking.
It's totally normal for the questioner to feel confused about their parents' behavior. It's likely that these behaviors are related to the questioner's upbringing and personality. It's also possible that the parents' own family environment influenced their parenting style. It's not that they don't love the questioner, but that they were also treated this way, so they're just doing what they know.
I really feel for the OP here. I think the reason why the parents treat them this way is probably down to their own upbringing. When kids grow up, they tend to be influenced by their family of origin and often believe that parents have absolute authority at home.
Of course, parents have different motives behind controlling their children's behavior. Some parents are perfectionists, while others are afraid that their children will repeat the mistakes they made when they were young. These behaviors may be perceived as protection by parents, but in fact, they often cause depression and harm to children.
I'm here to give you a little encouragement and help you understand your parents' motives.
Since you asked the question here on the platform, I'd also love to give you some simple advice.
It's also a good idea to learn how to spot controlling behaviors.
Sometimes parents may ask a lot of questions, but it's not necessarily a sign that they're controlling. It doesn't mean they're a controlling person or a bad parent. A controlling parent will control others in a specific way.
Some of these methods are pretty obvious, while others are a bit more subtle. Control behavior can come in many forms, from outright criticism to veiled threats.
If you notice any of the following signs in your parents, it might make you think they want to be in control.
They'll always find something to criticize you for, like your appearance, attitude, or the choices you make.
Threatening to hurt you or yourself, for example, saying, "If you don't come home right now, I'll kill myself!"
Guilt-tripping you into doing things you don't want to do is another common tactic. For example, a mother might say, "I was in pain for the whole 18 hours of giving birth to you, and now you won't even stay with me for a few hours?"
They might also monitor you or not respect your privacy, like casually going through your room or secretly checking your phone messages when you're away.
It's so important to understand the motives of the parents in treating the questioner.
I'd love to understand why the parents of the questioner treat the questioner this way. Were they also treated this way when they were young? And were the parents also taught this way by the older generation in their family when they were young?
The lovely mother has already learned how to communicate with her children from her own family. This is a model that she has imprinted in her heart, and she will also bring this model into the family she forms.
It's only natural for parents to want to be strong and disciplined when it comes to raising their kids.
It's so important to understand your parents' motives. When you understand why they did what they did, you can release your emotions, deal with your negativity more calmly, and remain more composed.
So, if the questioner understands their parents' motives, they'll realize that their parents are just continuing the patterns they learned from their own parents. It's not that they don't care about their children — it's just that they're following a set of rules that they were taught. Is there anything worthy of sympathy?
It's time to face the influence that parents have on you.
It would be really helpful to understand what influence parents have had on the questioner. We'd also love to know what triggered the depression and suppression of the parents on the questioner.
It's important for elders to gently point out mistakes children make. This is just one way parents influence their children. The questioner can try writing down some of the ways their parents have influenced them.
Then the questioner can try to figure out for themselves whether these views are right, whether they were brought to the questioner by their parents, or whether they are just their own feelings. Try to argue with these views brought to the questioner by their parents based on the personalities shown by their friends around them, and see whether these views are common in society or just their own views.
If it's just your own opinion and not everyone thinks the same way, then you can see that these are the influences your parents have brought upon you.
It's so important to learn to be honest with yourself.
If your parents are trying to control you, and they've shaped who you are, how can you break free from their influence? Should you let them control your every word and action?
Or should you face it bravely? This is a great opportunity for you to learn to be honest with yourself. When you're able to face your concerns head-on, you'll be able to avoid repeating the mistakes when forming your own nuclear family.
It's totally normal to feel depressed and struggle to get along with your parents. These feelings and behaviors are often influenced by your original family. If you're not ready to face these issues on your own, it might be challenging to make changes. But don't worry! You can start by simply listing the ways your family has shaped you.
Let's assume their family is normal.
It can be tough for the questioner to change the behavior and thinking of their parents. It's something you have to accept as a reality. The questioner can assume that their parents are normal parents who are not very strong. So, what would the questioner be like?
If the original family of the questioner was a normal family, with a kind father and a gentle and virtuous mother, what do you think the questioner would be like? I'm sure you can imagine this scenario. Although this imagination cannot change the questioner's original family, it can help the questioner build up a better self-confidence, so that the questioner can face friends they meet and even face their fears head-on.
It's so important to remember that our thoughts are really open to our own influence. As long as you give yourself some lovely, positive suggestions and learn how to interact with others as a normal family member, you'll slowly start to change into the wonderful person you want to be. If you slowly get rid of the influence of your original family and act like you are not affected, you'll really start to feel like you're not influenced by your parents.
I really think you should seek professional psychological support.
If you feel like you don't know how to handle intimate relationships because of your parents' influence, you can definitely try to seek professional psychological support. I would highly recommend that you look for some psychological counselors or listeners on some psychological platforms, and just pour out your troubles to these professionals. I truly believe that they can help you get rid of your mother's influence and learn how to face it.
In life, it's so important to have friends you can talk to. Having people you can pour your heart out to is such a great way to feel secure inside again and gradually become stronger. It's also a wonderful way to free yourself from the influence of your parents!
When you can start to face up to how your parents have influenced you and be honest with yourself, you can start to reward yourself for all your amazing efforts. You'll find that you'll be able to stand up for yourself and move away from the influence of your parents.
I really hope my answer helps the questioner!
Comments
I can totally relate to feeling like you're not enough, and it's so hard when those negative thoughts keep echoing in your head. It's important to recognize that these feelings don't define you. Maybe finding a therapist could help you work through some of this pain and learn healthier ways to cope with relationships and selfdoubt.
It sounds like you've been through a lot, and I admire your courage for sharing such personal struggles. Sometimes we need to hit rock bottom before we can start climbing back up. Have you considered joining a support group? It might be comforting to connect with others who understand what you're going through and can offer encouragement.
The way you describe your experiences breaks my heart. It seems like you've been carrying this heavy burden for a long time. Have you tried talking to someone close about how you feel? Opening up to a trusted friend or family member might provide some relief and show you that you're not alone in this.
Your story resonates deeply with me. It's clear you're seeking a way out of this cycle of selfsabotage and emotional turmoil. Perhaps setting small, achievable goals for yourself could help build your confidence and gradually improve your sense of selfworth. Remember, healing is a journey, and it's okay to take it one step at a time.