Growing up with a narcissistic mother often means learning to survive in a home where love feels conditional, emotions are unsafe, and your worth depends on how well you meet someone else’s needs. Many women raised in this environment don’t realize the impact until adulthood, when relationships feel confusing, boundaries feel impossible, and their inner world feels shaped more by fear, guilt, or self-doubt than by a sense of safety.

Growing up with a narcissistic parent is like learning to walk on a tightrope you never asked to cross. As daughters, many of us were raised to be vigilant, to constantly monitor our emotional terrain, to walk on eggshells… always optimizing ourselves to avoid criticism, blame, or invalidation. It can leave you feeling like you’re never enough, even when you try so hard to be perfect.