Maggie Holland MA, MHP, LMHC

Growing up with a narcissistic mother leaves lasting impacts upon a daughter, including problems in relationships, low self-esteem, perfectionism, people-pleasing, difficulty with emotions, and anxiety and depression. While the impacts can be long-lasting, there are things that you can do to mitigate the impacts, including learning about narcissism, setting boundaries and getting professional support.

A narcissistic spouse is typically manipulative, self-centered, difficult to feel connected to, and may be verbally aggressive or abusive.

Anxiety is a mental health condition that shows up as fear, uncontrollable worry, racing thoughts, and various physical symptoms. While anxiety can relate to a variety of life areas, there are certain things that can spike or trigger anxiety. The first step in coping with anxiety is to identify your personal triggers, and then make a plan to manage your triggers.

While it sometimes can be difficult to pinpoint a narcissistic mother-in-law, there are some telltale signs that you can look for, such as a need for admiration, lack of empathy, and a high opinion of herself. It can be difficult to cope with this relationship, but you can protect yourself by setting healthy boundaries and strengthening your communication with your spouse.