🚫 What it means to have grown up in a family with no boundaries
Growing up without boundaries meant your emotions were never just yours—your family treated your feelings as their own, leaving you confused about where they ended and you began.
You may have experienced parents who went through all your stuff, opened your mail, listened to your calls, and entered your room without knocking because "there are no secrets in this family." Your need for personal space was labeled as "weird" and suspicious. You developed a chameleon self, constantly adjusting your personality to match your parent's emotional needs.
You might find that wanting space triggers guilt—you fear others will see you as cruel for "abandoning" them. Your body carries others' stress, physically aching when family members are upset even at a distance. Saying "no" requires elaborate diplomacy because even small boundaries feel like monumental tasks that could destroy relationships.