Growing Up in an Unhappy Home

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My childhood sucked. My parents fought and separated a couple of times until they divorced when I was 12. I was uprooted, moved 100 miles away with just one parent, separated from my brother and the other parent. I lived in the inner city across the street from liquor stores and strip clubs. I was exposed to pornography. Life was bad. I never had a feeling of security or stability, which has affected me into my adult life. Growing up in an unhappy home can leave lasting impacts, which I read in a recent article online and wanted to share a few of them with you that perhaps some of you can relate to: 1. Overachievement There is a constant for validation, which can manifest as overachievement in adulthood. It makes you think your value is tied to your achievements. It's incredibly stressful always needing to be the best, to never make mistakes. 2. Craving Stability To cope with the ever-changing shaky ground, adults tend to be meticulous in keeping their homes and crave consistency. 3. Fear of Abandonment If you were neglected growing up, the thought of being left behind can feel very heavy and as an adult, this fear often manifests in relationships. You might cling too tightly, terrified that people will leave. 4. Hyper Vigalance Growing up in an unstable environment often means you’re always expecting the unexpected. 5. Resilience Last but not least, just for the brevity of this discussion, is the only positive aspect of growing up in an unhappy home. Despite the challenges the adult has learned to navigate through life, adapting and learning along the way. How was your childhood?