Abandonment and Enmeshment: Recognize the Patterns

#789 - Neil Strauss - Why The World’s #1 Pickup Artist Left The Game Behind

Modern Wisdom

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Abandonment and Enmeshment: Recognize the Patterns

Abandonment can manifest as an emotionally or physically absent parent, leading to children feeling disempowered. Emotional absence may stem from issues like addiction or emotional shutdown, where the parent fails to meet the child's needs. Enmeshment occurs when a child takes on responsibility for the parent's emotional needs, often becoming a surrogate therapist or emotional support system. This dynamic hinders the child's development, forcing them to mature prematurely and stunting their independence. Children in enmeshed relationships often struggle to separate their identities from their parents, leading them to pursue relationships where they attempt to fix or help others, resulting in patterns of resentment and frustration when their efforts are unreciprocated.

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