Various shocking accounts illustrate the deeply toxic relationships between mothers and their children, revealing patterns of abandonment, manipulation, and emotional neglect. Some children recount their mothers' disappointing reactions to their births, leading to lifelong feelings of unworthiness. Others share experiences of abandonment at crucial ages, which severely impacted their ability to form healthy relationships. Emotional abuse is also described, including the withholding of affection during conflicts. These experiences highlight the profound and enduring effects of maternal toxicity on mental health and familial connections.
My earliest memories are of my mom telling me that she had only wanted four children, and had been so disappointed when she became pregnant with me (her fifth). That was the start of what has been one long, manipulative relationship. Now she's in her 80s, and she constantly tells stories from my childhood about what a good mother she was (these stories never happened). If anyone suggests that her recollection is less than accurate, that begins a months-long barrage of angry messages about what an ungrateful person I am. I keep her at arms length for my own peace of mind, as do all of my siblings. I just want it to be over honestly.
I don't have a relationship with my mother because she left my dad and me when I was 9 years old. No note, no explanation. She rarely showed for visitation or paid child support, and didn't fight for custody of me during the divorce. What was so devastating was prior to her abandoning me, I thought she was my best friend - I felt loved and cared for. After she left, she was distant and cold. I asked her so many times why she left me, and all she would say was, 'You'll understand when you're older.' The last time I spoke to her I was 15, and I'm 50 now. I don't know where she lives or anything about her besides what I've found online. Her abandonment deeply affected my ability to trust and love anyone - I never married and had kids.
I could give a laundry list of issues, but one of the major things she did that really messed me up was shutting down and withholding love when she got mad or upset with me. I would feel horribly guilty.
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