🫂 What it means to have grown up with an over-involved parent
Growing up with an over-involved parent meant living with someone who crossed every boundary, making your business their emergency and your independence their greatest fear.
You may have experienced a parent who needed to know every detail of your life, made decisions for you well past the appropriate age, and treated normal developmental milestones as personal threats. Their anxiety about your wellbeing became so intense that it suffocated your natural growth toward independence. You learned that having your own thoughts, feelings, or plans was somehow dangerous or selfish.
You may now struggle with decision-making, feeling guilty when you prioritize your own needs, and questioning whether you're capable of handling life's challenges independently. The message that you needed constant guidance and protection may have left you feeling fundamentally unprepared for adult responsibilities, even when you're clearly capable of handling them.