In Narcissist families who pays the ultimate price?

In Narc families who pays the ultimate price? 

In narcissist families, children pay the ultimate price. Reflecting on how being in a narcissistic family affects the children, firstly one can see that there is a lack of protection for the children. So the children are feel unsafe and are on high alert most of the time. This creates highly sensitive children and adults. 

The children may feel unprotected in their pain. There children are likely to have feeling of abandonment and betrayal.  

The children may feel confused as the enabling parent may show affection and care at times but fail to stand up against the narcissistic parent’s abuse. This inconsistency causes intense confusion and teaches children an unhealthy kind of love. 

The children may internalise guilt and shame, believing they are responsible for the family’s dysfunction or the narcissistic parent’s anger.

This is due to their emotions and thoughts being invalidated

unless they are in alignment with the narcissist, making them feel that there is something wrong with them and their emotions. 

Growing up in such an environment causes chronic stress for the children as they are predominantly in a fight, flight, freeze or fawn response, which frazzles their nervous system. It often leads to low self-esteem, low self worth, chronic anxiety, depression, difficulties in forming healthy relationships, being people pleasers, mental, emotional and physical disease due to chronic stress to mention a few things. 

If this sounds all too familiar to you, and you want to break this cycle in your family, get in touch, book a discovery call. On a Discovery call you can share with me what you need help with and I can share with you how I can support you to see if it is a good fit.