Emotional Incest: Understanding the Hidden Harm in Overly Close Parent-Child Relationships

Article image

Exploring how an overly close relationship with your parents can have deeper emotional consequences.

Emotional incest, while not involving physical or sexual abuse, describes a dynamic where parents treat their children as emotional partners. This can lead to blurred boundaries and unhealthy family relationships, often leaving lasting emotional scars. Psychologists refer to this as 'covert incest' or emotional enmeshment, where parents may seek emotional fulfillment from their children due to unmet needs in their adult relationships.

Author: N/A | Published: June 7, 2025, 4:38 p.m. | Language: English | Country: India

Topics: General, Health