Hello,

I definitely relate to this a bit. One thing that bothers me is when people call me by my name and add a "y" at the end. I won't share my name, but for example, say my name is Chris. In my case people would call me Chrissy; totally a product of seeing me as naive and passive and younger. This is invalidating and totally inappropriate. I definitely have started to challenge this notion more and more. There was a time when I was extremely regressed in life, living at my parents place in my twenties without any direction in the world where it seemed more appropriate, but now it doesn't make much sense. I still regress and feel younger but I don't think it's so obvious.

I have heard that abusive parents are likely to infantilize their children whom they dependent on. Like the Mother who says she doesn't need her child around anymore but secretly does. It's a subtle form of abuse that keeps their child dependent on her mother so as to meet the mother's unconscious fears of being alone and feeling needed. Unfortunately this is common in abusive relationships and abusive homes. It can literally keep someone from getting away and gaining the skills needed to survive in the world.

I think this is an important issue and I am interested to see what others have to say.

Thanks,
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