# How would you describe your father?



## ManOfFewWords (Mar 20, 2012)

I'm interested in how the role of a father figure plays in the life of someone with SA. Do you think there is any relation between the way you were raised by your father (or lack thereof) and your conception of social anxiety and/or other issues (BDD, etc.)?


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## shelbster18 (Oct 8, 2011)

I don't even know where to begin. ;-;


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## enfield (Sep 4, 2010)

i never knew my father.

The only time I really remember this fact coming to my attention was when one especially probing friend would ask about it. I never knew what to say and it always made me feel weird. I guess he probably wanted to know why or how come, but i didn't know how to answer that.

Between the ages of 7-12 I did have a lot of paranoia about bad things happening to my mom. Whenever she was late to pick me up or to get home from work i would always imagine accidents and ambulances, and pace, and worry, and designate a time that I would ask for someone's phone to try calling her again; or, if I had a phone and she wasn't answering it, then I would be designating a time to call my best friend's Mom, and a later time to call the police.

It never ever got to that, but it seemed like there were all these close calls, where just when my worry reached its peak and i was about to do something in a tidal wave of relief I would hear her pull into the driveway, or the distinctive jingle of her keys.

And all that worrying probably led to my recurring nightmares, which featured either (a) a sinister unemotional alter-ego of my mom who carried a gun and smoked and dressed in complete white, or (b) a deranged and abusive (sometimes really abusive) monstrous version of my mom.

if I hadn't been completely dependent on only her, then i don't think it would have been like that. I mean maybe I would have dreamed up bad things happening to *both* my parents when I couldn't reach either of them, but that sounds unlikely to me. And plus, If I had at least been able to reach one of them, then that parent could have reassured me about the safety of the other one, which is what parents do.


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## minimized (Nov 17, 2007)

Most likely it wasn't so much of a father problem as it was an overprotection problem for me. Now how much the trauma plays into that cause or effect remains to be seen...


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## FireIsTheCleanser (Aug 16, 2011)

When I was younger I used to be really close to my dad, I would want to do everything with him. He then started to work two or three jobs at a time and I would hardly see him and that's continued for a couple of years and now he has a bit more time but now he annoys me and I don't want to be with him. I've gotten used to my mom doing most of the "parent" things. But besides that my dad's pretty sociable and has a lot of friends, which by the way, I _really_ don't like because they're annoying.


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## theseventhkey (Jul 22, 2012)

Sperm Donor.


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## HustleRose (Jun 19, 2009)

I have a healthy view of myself and a positive outlook on life that is mostly due to him. He has always been present, praised things about me aside from my appearance (which for a girl is really important, I think), and is all-around a great, supportive dad. 

I also think that it's because of him that I can befriend guys and choose partners that are kind/I don't allow guys to treat me like a doormat. 

As for my SAD, well, my dad is shy, but I think my disorder comes from my mom's side. Everyone from her side of the family is ****ed up to say the least.


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## 7even (Dec 18, 2012)

My dad has borderline tendencies, so he's either really pissed or happy, and also has a very sociable life. He's never done anything that I could hate him for; yet it's obvious his personality had an impact on my SA. He also has a history of GAD and high blood pressure. He's the best dad in the world, as long as everything is in his control...if that makes sense.


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## coldsorehighlighter (Jun 2, 2010)

I chose "my dad and I spent a lot of time together..."

My dad is my idol, although I'm failing big time at being the man he was and is. He's a hard worker, realizes money doesn't mean anything, and would rather give than receive. I wouldn't have wanted another dad.


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## Cam1 (Dec 4, 2011)

This song pretty much sums it up.






Pretty much my father never made an effort and never had time for me as a child growing up. Now I'm in college and working and busy as hell and he wants to get involved with my life. He's essentially nothing but a distant uncle to me.


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## SoWrongItsRight (May 9, 2012)

Best dad ever


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## fredbloggs02 (Dec 14, 2009)

He cares about me, but from a distance I feel. My dad is a highly logical person, all for the practical side, all four feet on the ground: he would have a word with God if he could. His practical side does feel suffocating to me. I would say, to him, the most important truths are arrived at through reason. It's not that he doesn't have a heart, we can talk about things that matter; but there is a certain blindness to him, closed to a real connection with people. The things I read and sometimes the way I speak are often an indecipherable code to him. He doesn't really understand where my anxiety comes from. We are different people.

Highly ambitious for both me and my sister. Growing up, I would often tell him how afraid I was of school, that I couldn't sleep; he never asked why or concerned himself, simply assumed I was the deviant sort of child; he never sensed the fear. Hard to talk to about some things. When I was nine years old he took a higher paid job and from then on he had far less time for my sister and I.

I once told him that if the choice were put to me between allowing him or any of my close family to die rather than sacrifice a number of people to save him, of course I would do the latter. When I posed the same question to him he told me if it were his choice, even if it caused me pain, he would rather I die than do the same for me.


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## Marleywhite (Aug 24, 2012)

I met my father at age 8. He is a good father, but I rarely see him since he is always working


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## creasy (Oct 29, 2012)

I like to think he's a good man. Temper problem, used to be a lot worse. He abused me quite a bit after my mom died and he got remarried, and divorced. Maybe he was just frustrated or didn't realize the impact it had on me or maybe he just didn't care at the time. He's very strange in how his persona swings between two extremes and he never sees one side from the other. I don't know. I'll never really know him.


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## Barette (Jan 17, 2012)

(ETA: Wow I wrote a lot. I guess when I repress so many emotions, once I think about them out I can't hold 'em back haha)

My father was always very very attentive to me, he gave me anything I could want and really loved me. He's the model I have for other men, because he was very kind, very fair, very level-headed, very calm, very reserved, very funny, very intelligent, just everything you'd want to know. He died when I was 15, during the time where I was going through adolescence and pulling away from my parents in favor of going through some mini rebellion, so I prefer not to ever think of my father because it pains me how distant I became from him, when he loved me more than I think I could ever know. I loved him, so much, too. We were so alike, really pretty much exactly alike, which I love knowing.

Weirdly enough though, we never once said I love you to each other. My mom and I say it every time we hang up on the phone or say goodbye, but I literally cannot remember a time in my life where my dad said I love you. We never hugged either, the only time I can remember hugging is when my mom made us hug when I was about 14 and coming back from England, and another time when I was 8 she made us hug. Other than that, we never ever hugged. We really never showed any affection or expressed any father-daughter connection, so in that way it was a bit awkward and strained. I never doubt that he loved me though, he just didn't know how to express it. His own childhood was very traumatic, his mother told him flat out she preferred his other siblings over him, and when he was a toddler she'd leave him outside, literally, all day. She used to brag that she put him out in the morning and would forget about him until it was 5 o'clock, and she'd find him outside eating dirt because he hadn't eaten for like 10 hours. At 13 he had to get a job and pay rent, and he hardly ever saw his father because we suspect his dad had Asperger's or something, because he never liked children and made that known to his kids that he didn't have an interest in them, or anybody. He'd spend all his days in his room, ignoring them. So my dad never really had a father, and never really had a mother. His sister was schizophrenic too, and would set the house on fire or walk around naked or just scream all day, but they refused to take her in for help because back then that sort of thing was shameful. So he had a very, very stressful and traumatic childhood, so I don't think he knew how to let me know that he loved me because he never felt that love himself as a kid. I never even learned about his past from him, my mom had told me. But he definitely loved me, I was his world. I still feel so pained at how distant I was, I can't even think about it without crying. I miss him so much, and I wish I could've gotten closer to him. 

I hope that one day I can come to terms with the guilt I feel, but even though it's been 4 years soon (in Feb it will be 4 years since he died) I still can't handle it. I never think about him because I simply can't without feeling incredible pains of guilt, so I force myself to push away any thoughts of him which is sad but the only way I can handle his death. I still dream about him all the time though, which is so nice to have.

**** now I'm crying, lol. Point is, my dad is my role model for how to be because of how fair, and hard-working, and kind, and funny, and personable he was, and he was all this despite a horrible childhood of being emotionally and physically neglected and even in danger.


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## Ape in space (May 31, 2010)

My dad is good. He's like me - quiet, not very social, intellectual, etc. He's not as quiet as me, but still reserved. He was always the calm one while my mother was more overbearing and prone to mood swings. But I don't have too many complaints about either of them. My dad can be somewhat overprotective of me and my sister, but it's okay because I'm a good little boy.


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## 0589471 (Apr 21, 2012)

My father definitely contributed to my BDD and anxiety, unfortunately. Distant, often in his work, he saw himself first. He's an extremely biased, sexist, conservative with these unrealistic expectations of people, of women. It was a horrible way to bring up my sister and I, and how it reflected onto our mother. It definitely took some time for me to form a non-biased opinion of men growing up, and realize that my father's extreme ideals and expectations weren't how normal people thought. 

I had this very subservient, withdrawn, keep-to-yourself nature ingrained into me. Even still I have trouble being open/opinionated, standing up for myself, and being fully present in my sexuality. My background was very screwed up. 

After I graduated high school, he had this freak-out where everything in his life wasn't adding up. He followed his infidelities and left home, declaring he didn't want this life or his family, wish he could've started over, abandoned his traditional faith, etc. 

It's actually been a lot better at home since he left. But unfortunately, the damage has long been done.


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## Lone-Wolf (Mar 2, 2011)

My dad is a loner and no friends etc, but he's awesome and does his own thing which i love, he never told me to do anything he always told me to do whatever i'm happy doing, i don't even care if i got my SA from him anymore.


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## Goopus (Apr 11, 2011)

My father committed suicide when I was a year old.


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## tranquildream (Nov 17, 2010)

None of the categories really fit our relationship. My dad has been working overseas for months at a time my whole life so I was left alone with my mom all the time. When he was home, we got along really well especially when I was a kid. He is introverted but has a ridiculous sense of humor he shares with those close to him. My mom compares me to my dad because we're both pretty ADD and don't know what's going on, do things our own way. But being left alone with my mom all the time made me more temperamental and depressed. My dad is the peacemaker and my mom is the dictator.


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## The Enemy Within (Sep 20, 2012)

I vote #4 and #6 from top to bottom, thats my father to me...


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## aquilla (Aug 18, 2011)

Oh, dad. I don't even know what to say about him.The truth is that I feel don't really feel much, I don't have much of an opinion. He ALWAYS was more like a static figure, not like a person: always here, repairing broken pipes, changing light bulbs, smoking his pipe, watching football, reading - but never talking to me and never showing attention. He loves my mother, but when it comes to me and my sister, he's totally indifferent.I guess part of the reason is that he sees reflection of himself in me and sis, the part he is ashamed of , the part he thought he had already left behind - and now his children have exactly the same problems that he had.Anxiety, depression, inability to socialise, fear of people in general.My mum was the one to get him out of all the crap he was in when they met. 
When my sister had serious problems at school, and mum was tearing her hair out because of concern about her child, he would never discuss it - his response is still in my head : " I don't have time for this. I'll be in my room, reading." He's the type of person who thinks that showing emotions equals being weak - whenever he saw me or my sister crying, he just said "it's disgusting " and walked away. 
I can honestly say that I don't love my father.I don't hate him, though - he wasn't abusive, didn't punish me in any way, so there's no reason to hate him.That man had to take responsibility, life forced him to, and so he did. But nothing more.

It's still like that - he pretends I don't exist, I do the same thing. This week, for example, I haven't said a single sentence to him (if "hi" is not a sentence)


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## Lasair (Jan 25, 2010)

ManOfFewWords said:


> Do you think there is any relation between the way you were raised by your father (or lack thereof) and your conception of social anxiety and/or other issues


Oh yeah...


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## Nono441 (May 14, 2012)

This poll is interesting. I wasn't expecting such a spike at the "My father rarely made himself available for me." option.


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## ShadyGFX (Jul 18, 2012)

He left before I was born. I met him a few years back but I have no interest in keeping in contact with him. Though it would have been nice for someone to have tought me how to shave lol Learning that by myself was tricky.


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## Ali477 (May 7, 2012)

Non existent the last time i saw him was about 9 years ago.


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## Freiheit (Dec 8, 2008)

My father seems to hate me. He's a loner and doesn't have any friends and argues with everyone all the time. He often tries to insinuate I'm a bad, useless person and that I will most likely burn in hell (he's very religious.) He also has an issue with my SA and thinks that I'm avoiding and not speaking to him on purpose. I once told him I have social problems and he accused me of playing a victim and being too self-involved. I get little support from him but I try to be understanding regardless.


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## cafune (Jan 11, 2011)

All I want to say is that he should have remained a bachelor his entire life; he's not a family person. I chose the fourth option.


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## Daniel C (Apr 17, 2012)

My father is great, I have a very good relationship with him. He always spent much time with us and has teached me about everything that you need to live (unfortunately, even that isn't enough for me). Most of this also applies to my mother, by the way. I love them both, I'm happy to have such parents.


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## THEuTASTEsOFeINKd (Apr 10, 2010)

He's everything I am not and everything I wish to be. <_< it's frustrating...


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## Elad (Dec 6, 2009)

never met. moved on when I was 2 and has a new family now.


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## Monroee (Aug 26, 2009)

I like to think I have a good relationship with my father, although I can't say I'm as super close to him as I am to my mother and brothers. When I was around 7 my father left my mother and went to live in a neighboring state with his new family. I used to visit over there frequently when I was younger but now that I'm older I don't visit (I'm not comfortable with the family there anymore). He also works a lot. So, I picked the option that he isn't around much. But that doesn't mean he neglected me though. At least not blatantly - he sees me every other weekend, he pays for literally everything I need (cash because I don't have a job, classes, medication/doctors/therapists, etc). Needless to say, he's well-off monetarily. If we are to say there was neglect, it would have been emotionally, as in I don't really feel as though he was part of my "intimate family" all my life, which would include my mother and brothers because we lived together. 

I'm not sure if this had an impact on my SA, I'd say it probably had some sort of effect although I wouldn't be able to pinpoint any direct maladaptive effect.


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## mesmerize (Oct 19, 2012)

abused me, is anti social


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## Otherside (Jun 8, 2012)

My father won't admit it, hasn't been diagnosed, and I've never really spoken to him about it but I suspect he has SA of some sort and depression. I never really see him with friends, and outside of family, he doesn't really go out much.


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## SambaBus (Apr 26, 2012)

In a better place.


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## kilgoretrout (Jul 20, 2011)

Sensitive, kind of an a-hole. He stayed in the basement a lot while I was growing up so I don't have many childhood memories of him. Still love him though... I now know he suffered from depression and did his best with his kids.


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## Cletis (Oct 10, 2011)

shelbster18 said:


> I don't even know where to begin. ;-;


Oh...wow. :blank

My dad was (he's dead) _*very*_ Social Phobic and there's no doubt in my mind that's where I got this crap. It's genetic. I can see more of him in myself every day and it scares me. His brother was social phobic too but his was much milder. He (my dad) was extremely anxious around people, especially my friends (yes, I've had some) and it weirded them out. They didn't want to come over to my house anymore. He had depression too. Yet he could fall asleep at the drop of a hat. That always amazed me how someone so anxious could fall asleep so fast. I've always been a light sleeper because I'm so wound up. He didn't like me talking to other people when he was around. It bugged him. He insisted I be as socially avoidant as he was even though I didn't want to. It's not like I had lot's of social activities to go to anyway because I was nerdy as a kid, which certainly didn't help the SA much. The older he got the worse his anxiety/depression got. That was his weakness. Despite the SA and emotional issues, he had a HUGE ego. Go figure. He was arrogant and always wanted his way. He loved his money and he had quite a bit---most of it inherited. He was obsessed with investing it and growing it but hardly ever spent any of it. Once he bought a new pickup truck and I nearly fell over. That was quite a feat for him. He used to tell me I'd never get married because no one would want me. Mom would say this too. They'd laugh when I'd express interest in a girl and say she'd never give me the time of day. They said I should just be like my dad and forget about it. I hated that guy.

I could go on and on... :mum


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## Archaeron (Dec 16, 2012)

I went with:
* My father is sociable; is outgoing; has friends.
* My father and I have a good relationship and spent lots of time together.
* My father taught me many life lessons and practical skills.

I have a fantastic father (and mother too). We don't spend that much time together because he always works late, but that's fine by me. AFAIK he doesn't have any real hobbies, so we don't do that much together. But in general our relationship is very good. There are times when we don't get along to well, but that fades away quickly. He actually is about the opposite of me; he's sociable, has many friends, goes out at times, etc. I'm not good in describing persons tbh...


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## rymo (Sep 6, 2009)

My dad is awesome and is part of the reason why I'm not completely crazy. He balanced out the negative influence my mother had on me as a child. He doesn't necessarily have a ton of friends, but when he's out he's the life of the party so I definitely look up to him. He's always been there for me through thick and thin and is a genuinely nice person.


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## Cashew (May 30, 2010)

Pretty great


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## probably offline (Oct 8, 2012)

My dad is a narcissist.


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## Nitrogen (Dec 24, 2012)

My dad is outgoing and sociable, and we have a good relationship. He was shy as a kid, so he kind of understands why I'm hesitant when it comes to speaking sometimes.


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## Revenwyn (Apr 11, 2011)

None of the above. I don't remember my father. I was adopted by a single parent mother. She never married.


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## KevOh (Dec 17, 2012)

My dad was/is a Paedophile, thrown in jail when I was 13 for molesting my sisters and various other kids.

But what I remember of him he was emotionally and physically abusive, social phobic and barely went out and hid away in a little den he built.


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## anxious dreamer (Dec 23, 2012)

Religious, stupid, neglecting.

I might have slight daddy issues. ._.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

He talks a lot but has no social skills and is often offensive. Has next to no friends. Used to have a few when he was younger but most have died or he has lost contact with them. He's sort of self-centered. He loves to go on and on about other people's problems. Criticizes them and tries to diagnose their mental status. He is stable and did do the bare minimum as a parent. He was around a lot since he went back to college late in life and later became teacher and came home at 4pm every day. It all went to hell after my mom got sick. 

After she died he sort of seemed like he almost wanted to get rid of me and my sister for the new evil old bag he found. Moved us into my step-mother's one bedroom condo to save money and went traveling with the old bag with the money he saved. Other examples of how he really lacked as a parent: normally parents take their kids to various after school activities. He refused to do that for my sister 90% of the time, so she had to bus it or get a ride with a friend. He also threatened to cut me off financially all the time my first 2 years of college. Then after I moved to Japan, never asked me to come back to finish college. When I called him from Japan he would go on and on about himself and only at the very end of the convo would he ask how I was. This was before internet became common.

He is sort of unloving/uncaring in other ways too. Other examples would be: He didn't visit his sister in the last few years of her life before she died of breast cancer. He killed our cats without telling us even though he took care of those cats for years. He is willing to buy things for me sometimes but if I am really in need....just cuts off contact. A couple years ago I needed $300 or so to pay the rent and he refused and even wouldn't answer my phone calls. Just really weird. I think it's cause he is afraid of me becoming a leech. 

He is also paranoid and thinks everyone looks down on him including his sister and brother. He says really horrific things about them. Actually he says horrific things about most of his old friends too. Very angry, spiteful old man. And it is just getting worse with age. When he was younger he was pretty liberal and overall I liked his politics. Now he hates everyone; gays, blacks, hispanics, jews. And he believes in weird conspiracy theories concerning those groups. I don't know if this is common to old men or not. 

But he calls me all the time and likes to shoot the bull. Not sure what is the cause of his mental issues. He was born with a cleft-lip and palate and had to have many surgeries as a kid. At that time they didn't allow the parents to visit much. And he got teased all the time for talking funny and looking funny. Said he beat up many kids in elementary school since he had his growth spurt early. His parents seemed like they were out to lunch. He was a mistake and his older siblings are 13 and 15 years older. His parents chain smoked in the house and they lived in a tiny "shack."


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## octodoc (Dec 25, 2012)

When I read this I was thinking of adjectives you use to describe your father. I'd say I'm pretty blessed then, given the choices to choose from. I guess my question would be, to those who are fatherless or don't know their father well, what is your most powerful memory (good or bad) that you have of your father


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## nemesis1 (Dec 21, 2009)

My dad is sociable, outgoing and has always had lots of friends. But he has never had much time for me, he was always either working or in the pub when I was growing up. He has always provided well for us but the emotional support was never there and we are not close at all. He has always seemed to enjoy the 'status' of being a father but not the work that goes with being a real father. I have never really looked up to him, but my brother certainly does.

And yes, I do definitely feel that the lack of guidance and poor relationship with my dad has had a negative impact on me.


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## ApathyDivine (Feb 28, 2012)

dead.


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## QuietCatLover (Dec 21, 2012)

Mine is dead. I just know he was stubborn. My step dad is a jack *** who hates me.


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## QuietCatLover (Dec 21, 2012)

octodoc said:


> When I read this I was thinking of adjectives you use to describe your father. I'd say I'm pretty blessed then, given the choices to choose from. I guess my question would be, to those who are fatherless or don't know their father well, what is your most powerful memory (good or bad) that you have of your father


It seems silly but I remember him getting me this double chocolate milk shake. I remember him asking "would mom let you get this?" Of course she wouldn't but I said yes anyway and he got it for me. I don't have many memories of him. He died young, his heart exploded apparently.


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## mysterioussoul (Jul 17, 2010)

Incredibly indifferent towards me and selfish. Selfish in the sense that he used my mum to have her take care of him and provide him with a home.

He doesn't really take notice of his children unless what we do affects his side of the family because he's still heavily dependent on them.

I don't trust him. When I was younger he didn't support my mum or us and allowed his family to emotionally and mentally attack us. He's better now but only with my mum. He's supportive of her but still is indifferent towards us. Especially me and as a female having a father that is physically there but in every other way indifferent really damaged my self-esteem and self-worth.

I have the short end of the stick compared to my female cousins because their fathers financially provided for their family and takes an interest in them and can protect their family.


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## wrongnumber (May 24, 2009)

Disengaged fathers seem to be in the lead. Mine is an autistic workaholic, and used to have SA apparently, but not really anymore.


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## ManOfFewWords (Mar 20, 2012)

I may be playing devil's advocate here, but I want to say disengaged or absent fathers are a major factor contributing to developing social issues as well as experiencing bad relationships.


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## MoonlightSky (Mar 24, 2012)

The closest to the relationship I have with my dad is that he's not really made himself available for me. He often has work or goes out over the weekend so we've never had much chance for bonding time or closeness. Not that it would make any difference if he had, since he is the way he is.


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## foe (Oct 10, 2010)

Second choice from the top.

He was completely opposite of me. A womanizer, a deadbeat father. Haven't seen him since 1991, he could be a changed man, or dead, for all I know.

I don't have any negative feelings towards him because I never really knew him. It's as if he never even existed, or just a total stranger who was once a part of my life when I was 9 years and younger.


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## Mithun (Sep 25, 2008)

Very enthusiastic, humble, patient, understanding, broad-minded, selfless, helpful.


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## gof22 (Dec 25, 2012)

I love my dad and him and I spend time together sometimes but he is kind of an idiot. He always tells me I need to find a woman and tells me how many he has been with by his age. He doesn't see that all that does is add to my inferiority complex. He doesn't always think things through before he does something. Tells me I need to get over my SA. He tries to be supportive but tends to fail at it. I appreciate the effort but still.


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## CK1708 (Mar 30, 2011)

My father is a **** and I am sure lots of other people would think the same


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## Patriot (Oct 14, 2011)

My dad means well, but wasn't there for me as much as he should have. I know he loves me alot though.


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## No more Elysium (Oct 13, 2012)

My father is ****ing awesome in his own weird way. I love him.


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## Still Waters (Sep 18, 2008)

My Dad made sure there was food on the table,utilities were paid,roof over my head and I was in church every Sunday -in his mind,I think that's the very definition of a good father. All the emotional,nurturing needs went unmet by both parents.


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## lzzy (Nov 28, 2012)

As a historian my dad seems to care a lot more for people who have been dead for ages than his own children, not the nicest of feelings...
It seems all I can do is make my dad proud by getting a degree, anything less than that is just a big 'eh'

I voted for:
My father rarely made himself available for me. (always working, isolated in den, etc.)


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## pastels (Sep 18, 2012)

hes good i guess wish we could be close sometimes but he doesnt understand me alot plus i dnt live with him i live with my mom


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## lisbeth (May 18, 2012)

*The past:*

_My father abused me physically and verbally.
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_My father rarely made himself available for me.
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_My father is sociable; is outgoing; has friends.

_*The present:*

_My father and I have a good relationship and spend lots of time together._

_My father is sociable; is outgoing; has friends.

_My dad has severe alcohol dependency though and has done since before I was born, that will probably never change. For this reason and others he's also been unemployed for 10+ years, which I think has been another contributing factor to my SA. Anyone else here have a parent with alcohol issues?

I love him to pieces though. We have had a lot of problems as a family and he treated me badly in the past but I still think he's a good father.


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## Nekomata (Feb 3, 2012)

I love my dad and used to go on a lot of walks and do things with him, go places etc. Now that's restricted to a few times a year. He's been living and working in another country since I was 14 or so, so he comes back a few times a year. Still have good times though, wish he was around more often.


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## Queen of Spades (Mar 17, 2012)

My father is very social and has plenty of friends. But he is an alcoholic.


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## Saintly (Dec 28, 2012)

My Father and I are not buddy-buddies, but there is a mutal respect present (now) and he has worked hard to provide for his family.

I did have some really good times and some really bad times. My Mom said, "[Father] was king of the castle and then you came and wanted to be king of the castle and that didn't work too well", however he never abused me.

He works a lot and is a good provider, however we are too similar and too different to be close (like i am with my Mom).

Interestingly, he has few friends, but he is very social. People tend to have a love-hate reaction to him, as he can be kind of aggressive.


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