RELATIONSHIPS
How To Know If You Have A Toxic Relationship With Your Parent
By ANNA DENSON
A toxic parent may consistently try to control you by creating negative narratives, like a classic guilt trip. They may also seek to manipulate you with fear, shame, or a sense of obligation.
Other signs of parental toxicity are constant manipulation or putting their desires and well-being above yours. It can also be detected in how they handle arguments. Rather than apologizing or taking responsibility for mistakes, they turn every hurt feeling into a fault of your character.
Once you've acknowledged that their reactions are their problem, civilly but firmly set and continue to enforce some boundaries. If they refuse to respect your wishes, try limiting contact for a while. Finally, you may want to seek professional support to unpack the toxicity, because you deserve a happier, healthier state of mind.