Last updated on August 29th, 2023 at 05:16 pm
A toxic mother is a mother who is verbally, emotionally, or physically abusive to her child. This can include anything from yelling and belittling to physical violence. A toxic mother may also neglect her child, both emotionally and physically. This can include not providing basic needs like food, shelter, and clothing. A toxic mother may also have a substance abuse problem or mental illness that makes her unable to care for her child.
Here are some Signs of a Toxic Mother:-
1. She Overreacts to Differences of Opinion
In mother/child relationships, conflict is inevitable. Mothers and children will inevitably disagree with each other at some point. Some mothers may lack the ability to control their anger and resolve conflicts with their children in a healthy manner; however, this problem can be overcome with the help of outside support. Toxic mothers may express their anger in negative ways, such as through name-calling and yelling. Extreme cases of toxic parents may lead to violence and abuse. This toxicity may cause children to develop fear, anxiety, or even violent tendencies over time.
2. She Fails to Respect Your Boundaries
One of the most common traits of a toxic mother is failing to respect boundaries. If you’ve tried setting boundaries in your relationship and they were ignored, you may be feeling frustrated. For example, you might have asked her to respect your privacy but then learned that she has been reading your journal entries or snooping your social media. If this is the case, you may feel violated and disempowered. Your mother didn’t respect your boundaries, so you may expect that other people won’t either.
3. She Refuses to Apologize
A mother’s toxic actions may be due to a lack of responsibility or an apology. You are left feeling hurt and angry when they say or do things that are hurtful and then expect you to move on by “brushing it under the rug.” You have no way to express or work on these feelings. Apologizing for things that are not their fault is a way for some children to keep the peace within the family.
4. She Tries to Control You
You may be dealing with a toxic relationship if you have felt like your mother has attempted to control what you think, feel, or do. Even as an adult, maybe your mother decided what college you would attend, who you would date, or what clothes you would wear. If she was constantly trying to control you, it might have led you to try and set boundaries, or just give up. If your parent is overbearing, you may not learn the skills you need to be successful as an adult. When it comes to being an adult, you may feel unsure of yourself or lost.
5. She Lacks Empathy
The ability to consider and understand another person’s emotional experience is empathy. Parenting plays an important role. Children learn how to have empathy for others through experiencing empathy from their parents. Toxic mothers often lack empathy for their children and are inconsistent in expressing love, understanding, and warmth. It’s possible that they come from toxic families where empathy wasn’t expressed, which could explain why they don’t express empathy. A poor bond between mother and child can be the result of a lack of empathy.
