Growing up with a toxic parent is often at the root of depression. As children we have a need to bond with our parents or caregivers, but this need makes us vulnerable to being parented by people who are damaged, and being damaged ourselves in turn.
What are toxic parents?
Toxic parents are those whose negative behavior inflicts emotional damage on their children. The term “toxic parent” could apply to a host of behaviors, including:
* The emotionally abusive father who tells his son that he’s been nothing but a disappointment, or tells his daughter that she’s fat and ugly.
* The controlling mother who criticizes every decision her child makes, from music preference to choice of romantic partner or job, and everything in between.
* The smothering mother who doesn’t see her child as an individual, only as an extension of herself.
via Depression – Depression and Dysfunctional Parents.
