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My Daughter’s Therapist Said She Was ‘Parentified.’ It Crushed Me.
HuffPost • • health
Key Points:
- Danielle Huggins reflects on how her bipolar disorder led to her daughter Astrid becoming "parentified," meaning Astrid took on adult responsibilities and emotional caregiving roles during her mother's episodes of mania and depression.
- Astrid, now 19, has struggled with mental health issues and self-harm, which her therapist linked to the parentification experience, though she acknowledges her mother did her best under difficult circumstances.
- Experts explain that parentification involves children feeling responsible for their parent's wellbeing, often resulting in high achievement but also potential burnout and difficulty prioritizing their own needs.
- The presence of other reliable adults, like Astrid’s father and grandparents, can mitigate some negative effects, and recovery is possible through therapy that addresses childhood trauma associated with parentification.
- Huggins now sets boundaries about sharing details of her illness with Astrid and supports her daughter's therapy, emphasizing accountability and healing to improve their relationship moving forward.
