Only, that doesn’t always happen.Ī key indicator of a toxic mother-child relationship “is the mother being dependent on the child for her own emotional needs, or for needs not typically met within a mother-child relationship,' family therapist Julie Williamson, L.P.C., tells Bustle. ' It becomes emotional abuse when there is character assassination and put-downs that continue despite your attempts at communicating how it affects you.' This can be a sign of a toxic daughter, too, but because the parent is supposed to be in charge in a relationship, the onus is on them to model good behavior. 'A toxic relationship is a dynamic between two or more people where emotional needs generally go unmet because of issues that have nothing to do with the other person,' Danielle Forshee, Psy.D, L.C.S.W., tells Bustle. It’s not always clear when a parent is crossing a line, but experts agree that signs your mom is toxic can be found in the way she speaks to you.Īlthough it’s a fine line, a toxic relationship isn’t always synonymous with emotional abuse, which can also come out in the words your mom uses. But in a mother-child relationship, the parent does wield the bulk of the emotional responsibility - hence why there are a lot more toxic moms than toxic daughters. A toxic relationship is typically a two-way street.
