I really feel I need to discuss this with someone, because I am starting to get really frustrated. My parents have been very overprotective and I am starting to feel this is doing more harm to me than good. I look at my brother who is 37 and he can't really make any decisions on his own without the approval of my mom. In fact, to this day, mom still has rules for my brother and his wife. As a result, my brother does not have high self-esteem.
I understand they are overprotective because they care and are loving (and I am thankful for this), but I feel there needs to be some sort of balance where independence is encouraged.
At the age of 24, I am starting to feel the effects of being 'babied' too much. I have developed OCD and sometimes I fear a lot of things that are plain silly. I go to my mom to reinforce my beliefs and the past few years, I have been quite anxious. There's a lot of things I doubt in life now, because I am afraid of my mom saying "I told you so".
When I go out with friends on the weekend, they constantly call my phone and leave messages and it irritates me a lot. I can't seem to enjoy the company of my friends and I have to constantly worry about my parents' worry. Sometimes I don't even go out with anyone on the weekend and just stay home to avoid the frustration of explaining every detail.
I do not do drugs. I never got drunk before. I did not have premarital sex with anyone. I never fought a stranger. I never got arrested before. All my friends (Christian and non-Christian) have an education and are civilized people with good morals and yet my parents can't seem to trust me at all and this is driving me into rebellion-something I do not want.
I feel this is really damaging our relationship because there is simply no trust. It gets to the point where every time my parents talk to me, I am being interrogated. Right now, it seems like I can't even pick my own church to go to and they are making me feel very guilty for not going to their church-even though both churches are of the same faith!
I have no idea where to go from now. I am afraid of failure, afraid of illness, because if I was on my own, I am not sure how I can take care of myself. Yet..I am aware I need to know how to take care of myself, but the over-protectiveness of my parents is really making my doubt my own abilities and independence. What can I do to communicate with them and to 'grow up'?
I understand they are overprotective because they care and are loving (and I am thankful for this), but I feel there needs to be some sort of balance where independence is encouraged.
At the age of 24, I am starting to feel the effects of being 'babied' too much. I have developed OCD and sometimes I fear a lot of things that are plain silly. I go to my mom to reinforce my beliefs and the past few years, I have been quite anxious. There's a lot of things I doubt in life now, because I am afraid of my mom saying "I told you so".
When I go out with friends on the weekend, they constantly call my phone and leave messages and it irritates me a lot. I can't seem to enjoy the company of my friends and I have to constantly worry about my parents' worry. Sometimes I don't even go out with anyone on the weekend and just stay home to avoid the frustration of explaining every detail.
I do not do drugs. I never got drunk before. I did not have premarital sex with anyone. I never fought a stranger. I never got arrested before. All my friends (Christian and non-Christian) have an education and are civilized people with good morals and yet my parents can't seem to trust me at all and this is driving me into rebellion-something I do not want.
I feel this is really damaging our relationship because there is simply no trust. It gets to the point where every time my parents talk to me, I am being interrogated. Right now, it seems like I can't even pick my own church to go to and they are making me feel very guilty for not going to their church-even though both churches are of the same faith!
I have no idea where to go from now. I am afraid of failure, afraid of illness, because if I was on my own, I am not sure how I can take care of myself. Yet..I am aware I need to know how to take care of myself, but the over-protectiveness of my parents is really making my doubt my own abilities and independence. What can I do to communicate with them and to 'grow up'?