Parentification and How It Impacts Your Mental Health
You were the child who had to act like the adult.
Not because you wanted to—because you had to.
You comforted your parents when they cried. You handled responsibilities way beyond your years. You kept it together while everything around you fell apart.
Now you’re grown—but the weight hasn’t gone away. And it’s showing up in ways you didn’t expect: anxiety, burnout, people-pleasing, perfectionism, and relationships that always feel off-balance.
That’s not random. That’s parentification—and it’s impacting your mental health more than you may realize.
What Is Parentification, Really?
Parentification is when a child is forced into a caregiving role—physically, emotionally, or both—before they are developmentally ready.
This happens when a parent:
Relies on the child for emotional support ("You’re the only one I can talk to.")
Assigns adult responsibilities like cooking, cleaning, or caring for siblings
Expects the child to be the peacekeeper, fixer, or emotional anchor
And often? It’s normalized. Especially in Black families where survival and sacrifice are common themes. You’re praised for being mature, self-sufficient, and responsible—but no one asks how you feel.
How Parentification Impacts Your Mental Health Today
You might think you’ve moved on from your childhood, but unresolved parentification trauma has a sneaky way of showing up in adulthood. Here's how it can impact your mental well-being:
🧠 Anxiety & Overthinking
When you were a kid, staying on high alert was a survival skill. Now, it feels like you can’t turn your brain off. You're constantly anticipating needs, waiting for the next crisis.
💔 Depression & Emotional Numbness
When your own feelings were ignored as a child, you learn to suppress them. Over time, that internal silence can look like sadness, hopelessness, or simply feeling emotionally “checked out.”
🔁 Codependency & Toxic Relationship Patterns
You were taught love = sacrifice. So now you may attract people who need “fixing” or expect you to be everything for them. You may not even have a concept of what a healthy relationship looks like. You feel guilty when you say no—and resentful when you say yes.
🧩 Identity Confusion
Who are you when you're not helping someone else? When your identity was built around being useful to others, it’s hard to know what you want, need, or even like.
It Wasn’t Your Fault—But It Is Your Time to Heal
If you’re nodding your head right now—this is for you.
Parentification isn't just a childhood experience. It's a wound. A pattern. A cycle that you can interrupt.
At Myers-Galloway Counseling, we specialize in Parentification Therapy for Black women. We provide a safe, culturally attuned space for you to explore your story, unlearn survival patterns, and discover what wholeness truly feels like.
This is where you:
Stop proving your worth through over-giving
Build relationships rooted in mutual care
Develop healthy boundaries without the guilt
Connect with the you who didn’t get a chance to exist before
Take Off the Cape—You Deserve Support, Too
You were strong because you had to be. But strength doesn’t have to mean suffering.
🖤 Book your FREE Phone Consultation with Myers-Galloway Counseling—where your healing is our priority.
💭 Final Thought
You were never meant to raise yourself.
But now—you get to choose yourself.
Let us help you begin.