RELATIONSHIPS
How To Cut Ties With A Narcissistic Parent
By AMANDA CHATEL
Having a narcissist in your life is rarely, if ever, a good thing, but it can be particularly damaging when it’s a parent. No one deserves high levels of toxicity in their lives and sometimes cutting ties with a narcissistic parent is the healthiest thing you can do.
If your parent is truly a narcissist, they'll be competitive with you, they won't have appropriate boundaries, they'll make you feel bad about your successes, everything is about them, and their love will feel conditional. Once you realize your parent or parents are indeed narcissists, then comes the time to figure out what you want to do.
"Going no-contact is the best option when several areas of your life are being destroyed by maintaining your relationship with this person," licensed professional counselor Sybil Cummin tells PsychCentral. "This may be your physical health, emotional or mental health, financial health, spiritual health, or social health."
If the idea of cutting ties with your parent(s) is too much to bear, then learning how to handle them is the only option you have left. This involves setting up boundaries, learning to stay calm when your parent does something to trigger you, planning your responses to their behavior in advance, and seeking professional help.