Author Topic: Adult Siblings Who Were Raised in Narcissitic Families  (Read 9540 times)

Dawning

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Adult Siblings Who Were Raised in Narcissitic Families
« Reply #15 on: August 14, 2004, 12:07:54 AM »
Hi Ishana,

It sounds like you have made a sincere attempt to forge a relationship with your brother.   Maybe give it a rest for awhile and try again later if that's what you need to do.  If you believe that he is a racist and you are part of a bi-racial couple then let it go.  Racism is deep-rooted stuff and usually stays forever.  Sad.  That's not your fault.  Maybe your brother is limited and no amount of kindness and good-intent on your part will get him to come around.

Btw, I just realized what I omitted from my story... I have a half-brother.  My father remarried and my half-brother is several years younger than me.  A relationship between us was never encouraged by anyone.  I only met him once when I was 12 years old.  Similar situation to Jenocidal's in some ways.  He was the golden boy and I was the result of the first failed marriage.  Father's new wife was cold to me and blamed me for everything that went wrong that summer of my 12th year but I was already used to it so it didn't bother me as much as it should have.  My fantasy world had already kicked in anyway and was keeping me alive.

I think my half-brother is married now and has a child.  When I spoke to my father on the phone in January for the first time in 19 years, I asked how my half-brother is doing.  Dad's answer:  "that's a good question."   In the foreseeable future, I may ask my father for my half-brother's contact info.   Half-brother has never reached out to me.  Sometimes, I give myself to wondering if he ever thinks about me.  I haven't given the attention to this aspect of my dysfunctional family that it obviously deserves.
"No one's life is worth more than any other...no sister is less than any brother...."

bunny

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« Reply #16 on: August 14, 2004, 12:07:05 PM »
Ishana,

It sounds like your brother feels irrationally threatened by you. Possibly he fears you will make some demands on him that he can't fulfill (financially and emotionally). I think he feels guilty, hence the avoidance. Do you two share any interests (sports teams or something)? That may be a way to reach him.

bunny

bunny

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« Reply #17 on: August 14, 2004, 12:13:05 PM »
Jenocidal,

I think your brother is paying a very heavy price for being the favorite. And I think he knows it's abnormal to sleep with his mother. He still chooses to do so. At 18, he can do whatever he wants and no one can stop him. I wonder what his girlfriend thinks of his sleeping arrangements!

All you can do (imo) is be there for him in case he starts questioning his own choices and wants to talk about it.

bunny

Ishana

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Adult Siblings Who Were Raised in Narcissitic Families
« Reply #18 on: August 15, 2004, 07:16:54 PM »
Bunny,

Yes, a relationship with your half-brother could be very rewarding.  Good luck with whatever your choices are with that.  

As far as my brother, I have no idea what his interests are and he has no interest in sharing with me on that level.  What I have given him, in the past, when he requested it or for special occassions like his birthday, are positive memories that I have from the days before our mother died.  Since he was only 2 year old but I was almost 7 years old, I do have memories that I can share to let him know how loved and cared for he was and that I am sure she would not have wanted him to have been abused and mistreated in the ways that he was.  He has told me these memories mean a lot to him, even though he doesn't have any recollection of them himself.  I think it helped him understand more about the circumstances of his life (he was adopted by my biological mother and father.)  I will try to keep in touch with phone calls (phone messages more likely), e-mails and cards and letters.  That is what is comfortable for me.  If he would like more I would step up to the plate (as I have in the past) to whatever degree he requests and I feel comfortable with.  If he never does agree to have a relationship with me I still love him the same and understand that he has a great deal of pain and hurt also.  But I can't force someone to be in relationship with me that doesn't want to.   :(

Thanks for your replies, Bunny, and good luck on your relationship with your half-brother.

Ishana

Ishana

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« Reply #19 on: August 15, 2004, 07:20:42 PM »
Bunny,

By the way, what does "imo" mean?   :)

Ishana

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« Reply #20 on: August 15, 2004, 07:28:47 PM »
"imo" = in my opinion

For clarification, my brother isn't a half-brother, but a regular brother.

bunny

Ishana

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« Reply #21 on: August 15, 2004, 07:34:09 PM »
Jenocidal,

I just wanted to say that my brother maintains my stepmother sexually abused him from the time he was very young until he left home at 16 years old.  I have no doubt he is telling the truth.  He self-identifies as gay.  I wonder in what ways -if any - his childhood sexual abuse affects love life.  He also was the "favorite."  His life has been horrible (not because he's gay, but because of the deep and lasting psychological pain he has endured due to his abuse) and I do not envy your brother in any way.  I don't think you will need to intervene...I think, as Bunny said, you should just be there in case he comes to you for support at some point.  If an occassion arises you should be clear that you do not support such behavior (your brother and mother sleeping together.)

Another interesting thought I have is that my N stepmother was "taken to her father's bed" from the time she was 12 until she left home in her early 20's.  Her father was clearly Narcissistic.  She also had a great deal of privilege and always had a great deal of power over her mother, even until her mother died in her old age.  She idolizes her father to this day, even beyone his death.  By all accounts he probably murdered two of his sons when they were young...under age 2 yrs old from physical abuse.  My stepmother was the only girl.  She is clearly mentally ill from her horrible childhood and youth.

Is it common for Narcissistic adults to sexually abuse children?

I am glad you are out of the situation also and that you found your way here.  Take care, Jen.

Ishana

Jenocidal

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« Reply #22 on: August 15, 2004, 08:24:54 PM »
Another interesting thought I have is that my N stepmother was "taken to her father's bed" from the time she was 12 until she left home in her early 20's. Her father was clearly Narcissistic. She also had a great deal of privilege and always had a great deal of power over her mother, even until her mother died in her old age. She idolizes her father to this day, even beyone his death. By all accounts he probably murdered two of his sons when they were young...under age 2 yrs old from physical abuse. My stepmother was the only girl. She is clearly mentally ill from her horrible childhood and youth.

Is it common for Narcissistic adults to sexually abuse children?

I am glad you are out of the situation also and that you found your way here. Take care, Jen.

Ishana

=========

Hello Ishana.  Thank-you for your response. I wonder if it would be wrong of me to ask my brother if mother has touched him.  Is that my place?  My brother treats my mother with no respect.  He discards her with ease.  He is a Narcissist himself, my own mother has made comments to me that she has recently seen how fragile my brothers ego is, and she thought all along that he had an abundance of healthy self esteem.  Which would be hilariously ironic if it weren't so sad to ponder.  My brother never helps my mother out when she's in "'need".  I always offered to help my mother move, cos she needed help.  And I was even ill with my intestinal disease, I'd still help.  And my healthy, strong brother wouldn't lift a finger.  She fulfilled his every need and want.  Even wiped his ass for him until he was 6 yrs old (that's when I ran away to start a real life at age 16, so who knows how long the ass wiping went on for).  She was one of those mothers that breast fed her child for too long (I think he was passed the age of 2 and she was still doing it), perhaps this is where her dependancy to my brother began.   Just this year, before her and I ended our relationship, she happily told me that recently my brother, while sleeping late at night in the same bed as my mother as usual, rolled over and tried to breast feed.  She said it surprised her.  Another incident that just popped into my head as I am typing this....  My mother found some porn my little brother (16 yrs old at the time) made of himself with his 16 yr old gf.  She thought it was great!  She bragged about it to me on the phone.  Like it was something a mother should be proud of.  I mean, I could tell her I got an A on my sociology paper and it would go in one ear and out the other... my little brother makes some porn of himself and my mother brags with fervor.  -scarey thoughts-[/b]

Moonflower

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Adult Siblings Who Were Raised In Narcissitic Families
« Reply #23 on: August 16, 2004, 01:42:31 AM »
...

flower

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« Reply #24 on: August 16, 2004, 02:11:51 AM »
Ishana Thanks for starting this thread .  Hope things get easier between you and your sister.


Moonflower said:

Quote
If anyone else here gets the chance to sever relations with a Nparent, I say go for it. Get your sanity back.



Sounds good to me.  :)

Ishana

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« Reply #25 on: August 16, 2004, 07:45:09 PM »
Jenocidal,

It is very sad what has happened in your family.  Even though your brother received the brunt of the sexual abuse you were abused also.  Just having the knowledge of what might have existed between them...there is definitely boundary issues there...is unhealthy for you.

You need to focus on your own healing.  That way, if and when your brother reaches out to you, you will be strong and ready to give him the information, support and guidance he will need.  

Good luck and keep posting!

Ishana

Ishana

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« Reply #26 on: August 16, 2004, 07:48:41 PM »
Bunny,

Thanks for the IMO definition.

And I apologize.  I think I got your post and Dawnings confused in my pea-brain.  My deepest apology.

I appreciate your responsiveness, Bunny!  I look forward to your posts!

Ishana

Ishana

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« Reply #27 on: August 16, 2004, 07:53:26 PM »
Moonflower,

I appreciate you sharing about your life.  I could relate to much of what you said and mostly how your NMom sabotages your sibling relationships.  

I remember noticing this right away when my father remarried my N Stepmother.  My mother, who had passed away, was not like that AT ALL.  As a matter of fact, she did a lot to encourage and support our love and care of each other.  I miss her still.   :cry:

My stepmother did everything...and still will if we let her...to cause problems and discord between us.  

And I really, really relate with the silent treatment.  It is her speciality.   :evil:

I don't have any contact with my father and stepmother either.  I agree, its worth it!   :)

Ishana

Moonflower

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« Reply #28 on: August 16, 2004, 11:58:43 PM »
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Moon

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To Ishana a belated reply
« Reply #29 on: August 18, 2004, 09:13:00 AM »
Hi Ishana,

I am new to all of this this is the first time that I have responded to anything in this forum.   One thing that I want to mention that I don't know if anyone wants to hear is that many people who come from N house holds with one or more N parents will be have many N characteristics themselves. As N's make N's.  I included myself in this statement ( much to my own horror),and have recently discussed this with my sister who also has many N traits. My point regarding this I will make later.

The trouble I found in the past is that the damage that my N mother caused for myself and my sister was and still is to a lesser degree, so damaging that it is like going through a war zone.  It takes time to undo the damage that a destrauctive parent like that has done.  My mother frequently put my sister and I against each other.  Amongst many, many, many other abusive and hurtfull things.

I was the first one to pull away, in fact I had to for my own survival, my sister took longer ( it took a complete nervous breakdown for her with Electro Convulsive Therapy) to finally start to be able to break away from Mum.  I would find it very hurtfull when she would act out on me and defend our mother for the horrible acts that she was doing to both of us. As she just couldn't deal with reality.

 But in time she has healed(sort of).  In time I have healed(sort of). And with time and patience and understanding our realtionship has not only healed but she is my best friend I love her truely and deeply.  We understand the place that each other has come from where not many others do.  I will be 40 this year and my sister 36.  She started on her journey to healing when she was 27 I started on mine when I was about 22.  So it took some time and for us it is still going on but in a differnt way.  Now it covers what kind of parents we are to our children. What could we do better, how can we heal ourselves so that we can remove the last holds of our mother and be better parents.  

Getting back to my earlier statement. We have only just started to address the painfull issues of negative N tendancies within our selves and how it shapes and has shaped us. Something to consider that many or not be relevant to you. Is, your sister and you both prob have N patterns of behviour that are learned ( that is not to say at all that either of you are N's).  This type of behaviour doesn't leave alot of space for others to express or get over things in their own time as it is very me focused.

So keeping that in mind maybe you can slowly and evenly introduce her to your personal barriers ( in a calm way) and let her know that it is ok that she is hurting, cause you are too. Let her know that you are there for her but you wont put up with verbal abuse ( or whatever). But don't withdraw your love and affection. Keep plodding away try and see how it is for her.  Create a space where the two of you can argue but it's ok because you will still be there.  Eventually she will be encouraged to trust that she can express her self to you in ways that are positive, rather than N emotional blackmail. One of you needs to take the emotional initiative to be strong.

This is pretty much what I did with my sister.  IT WAS NOT EASY. But when I think of where we are now it was all worth it for both of us.  

I don't know if this will help at all. But I hope that it does.

We are now going to go to therapy together to sort out these other little issues ( does it ever end ha, ha).  At the end it is all about the heart, our hearts and how strong and true they were in connecting with others.

Moon