How to heal from childhood emotional neglect?

Parental love is something you can’t just manufacture or replace once it’s gone. There is no substitute for it, really; one simply has to come to terms with the void left behind and find a way to move forward. People often suggest seeking affection elsewhere—from a spouse, a close friend, or even a neighbor—but I have always been skeptical of this idea of "compensating" for that initial lack. A partner's devotion, however profound, isn't designed to fill the specific vacuum left by a mother or a father. It is an entirely different category of emotion. You essentially have to accept the reality of the situation, tell the past to 🙂 go to hell, and simply carry on. There is no sense in overanalyzing or complicating the grief, much like how I find myself looking at 🙂

Steven Anderson13 said:You're only 19?
Honestly, hats off to you; based on your earlier posts, you sound incredibly mature for your age.

Your childhood sounds like it was anything but easy, and I am truly sorry. Every child needs parental love, but keep in mind that there are other ways to find it. You're still young, and one day you'll meet a woman and share that kind of love with her, and when your own kids come along, that will be the most powerful thing of all.
Of course, you'll have the love of friends too, so it's definitely not all lost...

Naturally, there's a long road ahead of you before you reach that point, and I think you know what I mean—you have to work through the depression first. Since you're already taking medication and seeing a therapist, just keep throwing yourself into the work of self-improvement.
It makes sense that nothing feels interesting to you right now, but that feeling will pass, and you'll find the strength to push through it. When you say you're working on yourself, could you give me a few examples of what that looks like?

Thanks everyone for the supportive comments. 🙂
People tell me I sound mature quite often, and sometimes I've been told I'm a little too serious for my own good—but I guess that's just how I am naturally. 🙂
As for working on myself? Nothing major, really—I just spend time reflecting on my upbringing and talking through the things that hurt with my therapist. I'm not entirely sure if being this open is the right way to go, but I suppose time will tell.
On a brighter note, I've actually started becoming more interested in discovering who I truly am, and that feels like a start. 😁

Susan Harris89 said:Parental love is something you can’t just manufacture or replace once it’s gone. There is no substitute for it, really; one simply has to come to terms with the void left behind and find a way to move forward. People often suggest seeking affection elsewhere—from a spouse, a close friend, or even a neighbor—but I have always been skeptical of this idea of "compensating" for that initial lack. A partner's devotion, however profound, isn't designed to fill the specific vacuum left by a mother or a father. It is an entirely different category of emotion. You essentially have to accept the reality of the situation, tell the past to 🙂 go to hell, and simply carry on. There is no sense in overanalyzing or complicating the grief, much like how I find myself looking at 🙂

Look, I’m not trying to make things more complicated than they need to be, it's just how I am naturally.
I don't feel like I need that parental love directly anymore—honestly, it's probably better this way. It's not like I'm going to run out and give my folks a big hug and kiss right now
But I still feel that absence through the fallout; I can say "let's just move on" all day long, and what happened, happened, but the depression is still there, and those intrusive thoughts won't leave me alone.

Honestly, the best thing you did was seeing a doctor when you did. It’s a huge win.

Those thoughts you're dealing with? They're called "intrusive thoughts," and they usually come with those weird "compulsive actions." On the surface, they're just reflections of some irrational fears running wild in your head. With any luck, once you get yourself sorted out, they'll just fade away.

Look, you can't go back and manufacture parental love that wasn't there—though I am curious about where things stand emotionally between you and your mom. But you *can* compensate for it.

Right now, your main mission is building up some self-confidence. Focus on school or work first, and then, at the same time, really push yourself to socialize. You have to do this ON YOUR OWN. You’ve got to swallow that bitter pill and make a real effort to fit in with people.

For starters, stop telling yourself "I'm just different." That mindset is just a trap that keeps you from actually solving anything.

Because of how things went down, you basically grew up way too fast, which left you with a lot of catching up to do. You’re going to have to teach yourself how to give love and attention, breaking away from whatever model you were raised with, and trust me, that doesn't just happen by magic.

Talk to your doctor about finding some training in autogenic training. It's a solid way to learn how to fight back against those destructive thoughts that won't leave you alone and helps you actually take control of your mind and your actions.

Just so we're clear, autogenic training is a skill you learn; it's usually taught by psychiatrists or psychologists. Just look into where and how to find a program—it is EXTREMELY helpful.

Also, just a heads-up: you should expect to feel this "hunger for parental love" and this sense of "irreparable loss" whenever life hits a rough patch. You have to learn how to move past it and live with it.

If you want some real "therapy," try focusing your energy on caring for someone else. Given your age, maybe getting a pet would help, or even just stepping up and helping your mother more with whatever she needs.

One of the most proven "cures" for situational depression is PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.
Pick a sport and stick to it—regularly, regularly, REGULARLY!!!

Diet plays a massive role in treating depression too. Avoid foods that might have hormones in them (like meat or soy), eat REGULARLY (this is huge), and drink TONS OF WATER.

You definitely need to talk to your doctor about how long you'll be on this treatment. From what I can tell, you're taking A LOT OF HEAVY MEDS, and those can become addictive if you're on them too long. Ask her if there's an alternative, like some form of psychotherapy that uses little to no medication. Either way, aim to get off the meds as soon as possible—in the long run, they often do more harm than good.

It's widely believed that the best medicine for people starving for love is actually the chance to give love themselves, since they have all this unspent affection built up inside them.

Think about it—maybe you could volunteer at a local foster care center or somewhere similar. A few kind words from you could mean the world to a kid who's in an even tougher spot than you are.

Hang in there. 👍

Paul Perez said:Honestly, the best thing you did was seeing a doctor when you did. It’s a huge win.

Those thoughts you're dealing with? They're called "intrusive thoughts," and they usually come with those weird "compulsive actions." On the surface, they're just reflections of some irrational fears running wild in your head. With any luck, once you get yourself sorted out, they'll just fade away.

Look, you can't go back and manufacture parental love that wasn't there—though I am curious about where things stand emotionally between you and your mom. But you *can* compensate for it.

Right now, your main mission is building up some self-confidence. Focus on school or work first, and then, at the same time, really push yourself to socialize. You have to do this ON YOUR OWN. You’ve got to swallow that bitter pill and make a real effort to fit in with people.

For starters, stop telling yourself "I'm just different." That mindset is just a trap that keeps you from actually solving anything.

Because of how things went down, you basically grew up way too fast, which left you with a lot of catching up to do. You’re going to have to teach yourself how to give love and attention, breaking away from whatever model you were raised with, and trust me, that doesn't just happen by magic.

Talk to your doctor about finding some training in autogenic training. It's a solid way to learn how to fight back against those destructive thoughts that won't leave you alone and helps you actually take control of your mind and your actions.

Just so we're clear, autogenic training is a skill you learn; it's usually taught by psychiatrists or psychologists. Just look into where and how to find a program—it is EXTREMELY helpful.

Also, just a heads-up: you should expect to feel this "hunger for parental love" and this sense of "irreparable loss" whenever life hits a rough patch. You have to learn how to move past it and live with it.

If you want some real "therapy," try focusing your energy on caring for someone else. Given your age, maybe getting a pet would help, or even just stepping up and helping your mother more with whatever she needs.

One of the most proven "cures" for situational depression is PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.
Pick a sport and stick to it—regularly, regularly, REGULARLY!!!

Diet plays a massive role in treating depression too. Avoid foods that might have hormones in them (like meat or soy), eat REGULARLY (this is huge), and drink TONS OF WATER.

You definitely need to talk to your doctor about how long you'll be on this treatment. From what I can tell, you're taking A LOT OF HEAVY MEDS, and those can become addictive if you're on them too long. Ask her if there's an alternative, like some form of psychotherapy that uses little to no medication. Either way, aim to get off the meds as soon as possible—in the long run, they often do more harm than good.

It's widely believed that the best medicine for people starving for love is actually the chance to give love themselves, since they have all this unspent affection built up inside them.

Think about it—maybe you could volunteer at a local foster care center or somewhere similar. A few kind words from you could mean the world to a kid who's in an even tougher spot than you are.

Hang in there. 👍

I really wanted to say thank you for such a thoughtful response. 😘 It’s clear you truly grasp how serious this all is, which is why your answer felt so deep and sincere.
In my case, things haven't quite escalated into outward actions yet; it has mostly stayed within my own head. Though, I suppose calling them "just" thoughts is a bit of an understatement, since they can be pretty overwhelming and make daily life feel much harder than it needs to be...
My relationship with my mom is actually really strong, and despite her illness, she makes sure I know she loves me. Sometimes that affection can feel a little intense or even exhausting, if I'm being honest, but it doesn't really bother me too much.
Long story short, I plan on taking all your advice to heart—I won't bore you by repeating every single point back to you—especially since you seem to really know what you're talking about here (am I right about that?🙂

Look, you really have to move past that trauma and that feeling of emptiness... however you can manage it...

Either find a way to distance yourself from an experience that offers zero life lessons, start looking for different role models, and try to find a sense of self-worth within yourself instead...

I guess joining some volunteer group or a non-profit to help people is fine for a little while, but don't get too sucked into it. You shouldn't let that become your entire identity...

I’ve got a similar situation going on in my family, starting with myself and then moving through my relatives... basically just a bunch of dysfunctional people who are all grown up now. And why? Because they were constantly getting torn down by their parents or held back in one way or another... whether it was mental warfare or straight-up physical stuff.
It was always "you can't do this" or "you're not cut out for that"... god, or just "look at yourself, you look terrible." Like, "look how ugly your hands are," or "she's so much better at school than you are," or "she's just better overall." Just non-stop criticism and put-downs, with zero praise for anything actually achieved and zero interest in what anyone was actually passionate about.

I mean, you get what you get. You end up with a kid who has zero self-confidence, someone who feels totally lost in their own world and just struggles to get by in life. Honestly, sometimes it's better if some people just never have kids. Period. 👎

restlesshound27 said:I’ve got a similar situation going on in my family, starting with myself and then moving through my relatives... basically just a bunch of dysfunctional people who are all grown up now. And why? Because they were constantly getting torn down by their parents or held back in one way or another... whether it was mental warfare or straight-up physical stuff.
It was always "you can't do this" or "you're not cut out for that"... god, or just "look at yourself, you look terrible." Like, "look how ugly your hands are," or "she's so much better at school than you are," or "she's just better overall." Just non-stop criticism and put-downs, with zero praise for anything actually achieved and zero interest in what anyone was actually passionate about.

I mean, you get what you get. You end up with a kid who has zero self-confidence, someone who feels totally lost in their own world and just struggles to get by in life. Honestly, sometimes it's better if some people just never have kids. Period. 👎

Same here.😠

And don't even get me started on how they stifle your interests. They won't sign you up for dance or music lessons because "it's not for you" or "you'll just quit in a few months" or "it's not worth buying a piano." They'll push you toward a mediocre high school because you didn't pull straight A's, claiming it's better to go somewhere easier, while all your friends—regardless of their grades—get into the top schools. They only see your flaws and kill any potential you might have. They refuse to actually raise a child constructively; they think kids just raise themselves and that their only job is to listen to them and their senseless bickering. Instead of offering emotional support, they throw money at you or buy you things to make you "happy," but you still aren't happy, and then you're labeled ungrateful and disobedient. Then they spend forever bragging about how a cousin won a competition or how successful everyone else became while you achieved nothing special. They are never on your side. You're always the problem. They tell you that you'll never marry or have kids, but how are you supposed to find a decent partner when your father is constantly yelling at you or hitting you over every little thing? He just wants peace at home and everything in its perfect place because he thinks he's the king of the household. They even mock your struggles as you get older; the lack of heart and responsibility they showed during your development turns into open ridicule and contempt once you're an adult. So, Harold Anderson3, start loving yourself and working on your own growth immediately. Take that default inner critic and replace it with the encouragement and kindness you deserved. It isn't easy, but it saves you from further destruction and mental or physical illness. Look, we aren't alone. There are plenty of us, which proves the problem isn't us—it's them. Some people truly shouldn't be parents.👎

Paul Perez is truly unparalleled! 🙂🙂🙂

Look, I just wanted to check in and let you guys know they’re actually out there, and some of them actually managed to clear up those (forced) questions...

So, yeah, I guess it's possible..

Kate Flores4 said:Same here.😠

And don't even get me started on how they stifle your interests. They won't sign you up for dance or music lessons because "it's not for you" or "you'll just quit in a few months" or "it's not worth buying a piano." They'll push you toward a mediocre high school because you didn't pull straight A's, claiming it's better to go somewhere easier, while all your friends—regardless of their grades—get into the top schools. They only see your flaws and kill any potential you might have. They refuse to actually raise a child constructively; they think kids just raise themselves and that their only job is to listen to them and their senseless bickering. Instead of offering emotional support, they throw money at you or buy you things to make you "happy," but you still aren't happy, and then you're labeled ungrateful and disobedient. Then they spend forever bragging about how a cousin won a competition or how successful everyone else became while you achieved nothing special. They are never on your side. You're always the problem. They tell you that you'll never marry or have kids, but how are you supposed to find a decent partner when your father is constantly yelling at you or hitting you over every little thing? He just wants peace at home and everything in its perfect place because he thinks he's the king of the household. They even mock your struggles as you get older; the lack of heart and responsibility they showed during your development turns into open ridicule and contempt once you're an adult. So, Harold Anderson3, start loving yourself and working on your own growth immediately. Take that default inner critic and replace it with the encouragement and kindness you deserved. It isn't easy, but it saves you from further destruction and mental or physical illness. Look, we aren't alone. There are plenty of us, which proves the problem isn't us—it's them. Some people truly shouldn't be parents.👎

It's so sad how superficial people get once they have kids, just following basic instincts or social pressure... they ruin their own lives and those kids' lives for generations to come...👎

They don't realize that a child is basically just a tiny, sweet little expert for that first year of life.👎

Kyle Nelson2 said:Look, I just wanted to check in and let you guys know they’re actually out there, and some of them actually managed to clear up those (forced) questions...

So, yeah, I guess it's possible..

Drop the recipe then

Heh, there’s no such thing as a recipe in just two sentences...

Alright... let me try to explain my "findings" on this path:

1. Growing up in a broken home mostly leads to a total distrust of your own emotions. I mean, when you're watching your parents scream at each other, or feeling like you're just being used as a pawn in their guilt-tripping games, or just dealing with a constant stream of bad stuff... you basically get the message that you aren't allowed to trust how you feel. Why?
because:
- Your feelings aren't valid, because apparently they know better than you do.
- Your feelings are wrong, because you're stupid, or too young, or blame your dad, or your mom, etc.
- Because you're chronically pissed off, so how could those emotions possibly be right?
- Because if you actually admitted what you were feeling, you might grab an AK-47 and turn some prom into a bloodbath... so let's just shut up.

But honestly, that pattern follows you long after you finally leave that house behind.
The big thing is that once you move out and start a new life, you have to begin relearning things. You have to shed those old layers of armor that you don't need anymore (though, I guess, you'll eventually need different kinds of armor later on).

That’s when all those emotions, memories, and flashbacks start hitting you out of nowhere. It’s basically a sign that what happened was real—that the pain you felt back then was legitimate and JUSTIFIED.

You have to learn how to acknowledge your own feelings and live by your own beat... if you're angry, just be angry. You just have to find ways to let things out and, I don't know, actually listen to yourself and your own gut.
In my opinion, this is huge, because people from homes like that can end up trapped in this state where they feel nothing, totally detached from themselves... and that isn't really living.
You can usually spot these types by how calm or composed they are—sometimes it's even unnerving, almost fake (I call them "glass-faces") because they show zero signs of emotion. It just shows how far gone that defense mechanism went.

Besides, this matters for guys, too, because women tend to be wary of men who don't show any emotion. They’re instinctively afraid of that kind of guy, even if they don't know why, and eventually, that emotional distance comes back to haunt you like a boomerang.
At some point, you're just going to have to face everything and everyone inside yourself...

(That's just... well, one of the lessons, I guess)...

Harold Anderson3 said:Most people hang out by grabbing a beer, catching a game, or getting lost in video games... but none of that really appeals to me. If you’ve ever dealt with depression, you probably understand what I mean.😉
I’m also dealing with another issue that I didn't even realize was a recognized thing in psychology until recently. I can't quite put a clinical name to it, but it feels like this constant, intrusive thought that just takes over, making it impossible to focus on anything else or even think straight. It’s like half of your brain is being held hostage. It’s honestly pretty awful.
All of this—including the depression—just makes things difficult, whether I'm trying to hold a conversation or just focusing on my studies.

Yeah, I get it. Classic textbook depression symptoms. I’m usually a total social butterfly—always grabbing coffee with huge groups of different people—but when the depression first hit? I didn't want to talk to anyone. Coffee dates? Forget it. I just went to class, headed straight home, and hid behind my computer or a book. Not sure if it was the therapy or the meds that finally pulled me out of it, but things felt pretty off for a while. Still on the antidepressants and seeing my psychiatrist, though.
Honestly, I totally get it. I know exactly what it’s like living with someone who’s just cold and shut off. Actually, living with a *person* like that. For years now, my talks with the old man have boiled down to the same three things: "You're a terrible student," "You picked the wrong major" (which isn't exactly fair since I only failed one exam in four years at a super intense university), and "You and your mom spend way too much money." And then there's Mom—to make up for it, she's just overprotective and tries to keep me under a literal glass dome.
Whoa, hold up... I totally spiraled into a pity party there for a second. Anyway, my advice? Go see a therapist. Seriously. Maybe get some antidepressants to help boost that serotonin levels at first, then talk things out so you can realize—and I’m sure of this—that you’re actually a solid person with your whole life ahead of you. These older folks? They're just bitter people with way bigger problems who are unfortunately taking it out on you. Honestly, once you realized there was an issue and likely even found the root cause, that's already a huge step forward.
Getting out of a depression slump by yourself? Hard. All that "just think positive" nonsense doesn't really cut it. You need help just to get that first step moving. Once you're over that hump, things get easier... like signing up for a gym membership or finding a hobby, hanging out with people... suddenly, you actually care again. 🙂 Good luck! 👍

I really want to thank everyone for sharing their stories and offering such thoughtful advice... honestly, everything feels a little more manageable when you realize you aren't walking this path alone 🙂
It seems like we share so many parallels when it comes to parenting styles, those heavy emotional lows, and the ways parents can be so incredibly demeaning...
If I had to pinpoint the most painful part, it would be how much humiliation I endured as a child, which was exactly when I needed support the most. I’ll never forget being physically punished just for wetting the bed. The night before, my father's wife warned me that I was going to get hit if I had an accident (which had been an issue for me for a long time, all the way through sixth grade). Naturally, it happened just like it always did, and when I tried to play it off or make excuses, she just lost it on me. It was brutal—even a dog wouldn't have been treated that harshly. She even made me wear wet diapers as a punishment while yelling that I’d never grow out of it... and I was only in first grade at the time.
I felt like I just had to get this off my chest because it's been weighing so heavily on my soul... there are a few other moments from my early childhood that are still burned into my memory.
The kind of person she was—and I emphasize *was*—is best shown by how she used to beat her own biological son when he was only a month or two old; the poor baby was screaming, and she actually said things about how he wasn't being "disciplined" enough. My brother and I just stood there watching, feeling like she almost took some kind of twisted pleasure in hurting children.
I'm not sure if I should even be opening up about this, but there was one more situation when I was a bit older... I won first place in a regional science fair for chemistry, which was my biggest achievement up to that point, and her only response was to tell me I hadn't actually learned anything because I'd only scored 20 out of 50 points.
At a certain point, you just have to walk away from someone like that.

I honestly believe you’ll find yourself moving past this—that whole idea of needing to "make up for a lack of love"—once you truly discover who you are. Once you manage to detach from those old baggage issues and learn how to function as a self-sufficient individual, things change.

We really do shape our own lives. Sure, childhood struggles can influence us to an extent, but in my experience, it isn't set in stone—nothing is permanent.

Actually, I don't think the goal should be filling a void or compensating for a lack of affection; that feels like the wrong approach to me. Rather, those early imbalances—whether it was too little of something or far too much of something else—created specific patterns. We need to address those actual patterns instead of trying to chase down some phantom loss of love from years ago...

Best of luck

Taylor Campbell4 said:I honestly believe you’ll find yourself moving past this—that whole idea of needing to "make up for a lack of love"—once you truly discover who you are. Once you manage to detach from those old baggage issues and learn how to function as a self-sufficient individual, things change.

We really do shape our own lives. Sure, childhood struggles can influence us to an extent, but in my experience, it isn't set in stone—nothing is permanent.

Actually, I don't think the goal should be filling a void or compensating for a lack of affection; that feels like the wrong approach to me. Rather, those early imbalances—whether it was too little of something or far too much of something else—created specific patterns. We need to address those actual patterns instead of trying to chase down some phantom loss of love from years ago...

Best of luck

We establish the blueprints for our lives during childhood,🙂
and unfortunately, some things feel pretty much etched in stone.

You might have a point about just focusing on solving the immediate problems, but what happens if those issues won't truly vanish unless we address their underlying root causes?

You're right, Harold Anderson3. I really wish I had realized sooner that you can't run from or deny a rough childhood. You can't just pretend nothing happened and act like everything was normal just because of the shame involved.

Kyle Nelson2 said:Alright... let me try to explain my "findings" on this path:

1. Growing up in a broken home mostly leads to a total distrust of your own emotions. I mean, when you're watching your parents scream at each other, or feeling like you're just being used as a pawn in their guilt-tripping games, or just dealing with a constant stream of bad stuff... you basically get the message that you aren't allowed to trust how you feel. Why?
because:
- Your feelings aren't valid, because apparently they know better than you do.
- Your feelings are wrong, because you're stupid, or too young, or blame your dad, or your mom, etc.
- Because you're chronically pissed off, so how could those emotions possibly be right?
- Because if you actually admitted what you were feeling, you might grab an AK-47 and turn some prom into a bloodbath... so let's just shut up.

But honestly, that pattern follows you long after you finally leave that house behind.
The big thing is that once you move out and start a new life, you have to begin relearning things. You have to shed those old layers of armor that you don't need anymore (though, I guess, you'll eventually need different kinds of armor later on).

That’s when all those emotions, memories, and flashbacks start hitting you out of nowhere. It’s basically a sign that what happened was real—that the pain you felt back then was legitimate and JUSTIFIED.

You have to learn how to acknowledge your own feelings and live by your own beat... if you're angry, just be angry. You just have to find ways to let things out and, I don't know, actually listen to yourself and your own gut.
In my opinion, this is huge, because people from homes like that can end up trapped in this state where they feel nothing, totally detached from themselves... and that isn't really living.
You can usually spot these types by how calm or composed they are—sometimes it's even unnerving, almost fake (I call them "glass-faces") because they show zero signs of emotion. It just shows how far gone that defense mechanism went.

Besides, this matters for guys, too, because women tend to be wary of men who don't show any emotion. They’re instinctively afraid of that kind of guy, even if they don't know why, and eventually, that emotional distance comes back to haunt you like a boomerang.
At some point, you're just going to have to face everything and everyone inside yourself...

(That's just... well, one of the lessons, I guess)...

Learning to recognize my own feelings and temporarily letting myself feel them helped me immensely. I held onto that armor until I was 30, even though I dealt with psychosomatic issues and an incredibly toxic relationship with a guy who was even more unstable than my father. At 30, I developed hyperthyroidism at a job where I was constantly torn down and criticized for being too slow. Because the health issues took such a toll on me physically and mentally, I was forced to confront my own emotions, my tendencies toward self-sabotage, perfectionism, and my lack of self-love just to rebuild myself (honestly, I've gotten a bit soft and lazy lately 😁). However, I realized that the job was just the breaking point. Looking back at old photos, I didn't look relaxed or normal at all. Even when my hormone levels were fine, I think my thyroid was under constant stress because I was never truly at peace. I always heard those internal criticisms telling me it was never enough. Most of the choices I made in life were just attempts to copy others or find ways to impress my parents. My family only functions on an intellectual level; we express emotion through shouting matches or sarcasm. I've carried that stress my whole life and had to hide my true self. Like Taroth said, you can't suppress your natural emotions or needs, and you won't be able to recognize happiness if you've spent your life making bad choices just to please others. I probably rejected a lot of good things about myself in favor of the wrong ones.

The bottom line is that there’s so much more I can actually accomplish now. I might not have that relentless drive I used to have—back when I was walking around with a thick layer of armor, constantly pushing my body to the breaking point—but at least I’m at peace. I’ve learned to be gentle with myself. I’m being incredibly disciplined about what I truly want and need. It’s a start.

Based on what you’re describing, you went through some truly horrific things. Compared to that, I actually had it pretty easy, and I think you’ll need a lot of time to heal—especially since you were abruptly separated from your biological mother. Anyone would end up wetting the bed after something like that. I struggled for a long time too, even though I had my mom around. But look, you’re only 19; you have time on your side. You still have her love to lean on, or at least as much as her illness allows. If she hasn't let you down as a person, you can always love her without limits. I can't love mine the way I used to. Lately, I've had to face the fact that it isn't just a problematic father I'm dealing with, but my mother too, since she played a huge part in everything. Hopefully, we’ll find a more stable kind of love once things are forgiven. At the end of the day, a mother is a mother. Neither of our parents were exactly normal, especially Dad.

Always look for the best therapy possible—the kind that will eventually set you free. Always trust your gut and get a pet; they are incredible for treating depression and bringing healthy emotions back to life.👍 Things will get better and better for you.

Hmm, Mercury is in retrograde in Cancer this month, so no wonder we're all talking about childhood and parental love.🙂 Due to circumstances, I've moved back into my parents' house recently, but I don't act like a hysterical PTSD survivor around them anymore. Now, I carry myself like a soldier. I intercept every outburst right at the start. Even though they never stop, I feel like I've moved past wearing a mask and am finally using a shield.😉 It sounds the same, but it really isn't.