The relationship between a father and a daughter should be one of love, mutual respect, and understanding. Although, sometimes there’s a lack of this. Today, the number of Unhealthy father daughter relationships is increasing, and neither the father nor the daughter is aware that their relationship is bad for either of them.
Too much love can as easily become toxic as too little love. An extremely close relationship becomes a toxic one. It can cause detrimental effects on human well-being, confidence, and other relationships as much as a poor mother-daughter bond.
Moreover, once the relationship has been broken, both father and daughter will find it difficult to repair it. If you want to learn what kinds of unhealthy father-daughter relationships there are and how you can fix them, keep reading below and you’ll discover them all.
How To Recognize Unhealthy father daughter relationships?
Every relationship between parent and child has its issues, but because of our strong bond, every problem can be fixed. Here are some types of Unhealthy father daughter relationships and ways to fix them.
The absent dad
We have to acknowledge that fathers have one of the most important responsibilities in the world—providing for their families. But that is no reason they shouldn’t be physically present for their kids’ daily lives.
Nothing is more important than for a daughter to have a father who is present in her life, supporting her through all she does in life and being with her.
No matter whether you are his 1-year-old or his 21-year-old daughter, he needs to know that no matter what the occasion, you could always need him to be there for you.
Yes, I am not trying to justify their behavior but fathers have so many obligations that make them less involved in their daughter’s lives, and yet, they still need to find a way to devote themselves to them in-between all those obligations.
Having an absent father can have so many consequences on your mental health. It may result in some behavioral issues, self-doubt, depression, insecurities, and poor grades.
You may even start feeling pressured when you start an adult relationship with someone or start a romantic relationship, because you may end up constantly afraid that they will leave you at any moment.
The abusive father
Fathers that are irritable or have any kind of addiction are more likely to abuse their daughters.
Don’t think you have to convince him to tell anyone or that he must help you first because it is your duty. You are the one who needs help.
There are no justifications for violence or abuse, so you should not try to make your father’s abuse seem justified or blame yourself for it.
You shouldn’t put up with your dad’s toxic behavior just because you think you have no one to talk to, as there are so many people and organizations that can help you.
You may need someone to clarify your vision; then you will see whether your father’s problems can be resolved or not. If not, then please stop trying to maintain a problem relationship. Some fathers don’t deserve to be parents. Sometimes you need to cut them off and let yourself free.
Abuse should never be tolerated, no matter what situation you might be in. The emotional and physical consequences that an abusive father may have for a girl are awful and long-lasting. They may cause anxiety attacks, depression, low self-esteem, hatred of men, a personality disorder, loss of self-esteem, or even a problem with substance abuse.
The emotionally absent dad
In the same way that you need your father to be physically present in your life, you need him to be emotionally present too. You need to know that he will always be there for you no matter what.
You should talk to your father if he does not express his feelings for you or you feel that he is emotionally distant and tell him that his emotional inaccessibility bothers you a lot.
It will negatively affect all your future relationships. It’ll be difficult for you to keep any kind of relationship because you will become emotionally distant and won’t be able to deal with your feelings healthily. A present and caring father is everything that a daughter desires. Fathers are everyone’s rock, so you need to know that you can always go to your dad for advice or support.
The narcissist type of dad
A narcissistic father tries to be the best at everything he does, including parenting. He does it just so he can brag to his kids. That kind of father thinks that parenting is a competition.
A competition to see whose children will be more successful, rich, or famous. You don’t need to fulfill all of the unreasonable expectations that your father set for you.
When he always compares you to other kids and wants you to be that much better than others, you ought to tell him that it makes you nervous and tell him not to do that anymore.
If you have a narcissist type father he will try to manipulate you with little gifts and gifts because that is his way of making you do what he wants. Do not fall for that.
Your opinion is important and it should be of importance to your father as well. Tell him that his inability to be thoughtful of your thoughts and feelings bothers you. With your father in control of your life and manipulating you with gifts, you would not be able to ever become completely independent.
The father who’s an addict
Addiction seems to affect the whole family and not just the addict. Watching someone close to us destroy their lives every day and not knowing how to help is terrible.
It happens a lot that alcoholics and drug addicts abuse their kids and spouses in physical and emotional ways, and it leaves negative effects on their daughters especially.
If you’re the daughter of an addict, I know you faced many difficulties in your childhood. Backstabbing and bullying by other kids are two of them. No child deserves that kind of childhood. You deserve a stable and secure life, and you cannot get it from a father who is a drug addict.
The critical father
Some parents believe that criticizing their kids will help them achieve their dreams and goals, but that is not true. By continuously criticizing you and putting unreasonable goals on you, it will just result in you having self-esteem issues.
I don’t think you need to worry about not fulfilling your father’s expectations and not disappointing him, but you should never let your expectations be a barrier to your success.
Your father’s criticism of you may result in mental stress, causing you to lose focus on your goals and it will significantly damage your relationship with him. Your father’s criticism will make you feel like a failure, which will change your relationship with him.
Don’t allow your father’s criticism to make you doubt your self-worth. If he isn’t able to see what you are and how much you deserve then that is his problem, not yours.
Read also: leaving someone you love, Why and How? Read also: Feeling lonely in a relationship, What should I do?
