What growing up with narcissistic or emotionally immature parents can look like:

The self-absorption of the parent can make things feel unpredictable for the child. You may ‘never know which version of dad/mom you’re going to get,’ so you have to adapt around them. Your needs and emotional security can become secondary, and focus shifts to monitoring them instead

What you as a child learned to do to keep safe:

You probably learned to become low maintenance. Stay out of their way, not ask for much, figure out things yourself, say sorry frequently, and do what it takes to keep them in a good mood

How these adaptations continue into adulthood:

You are likely to become a people pleaser. You learned early on that an upset person is a threat, so it makes sense to set your own needs aside to keep the peace. This can lead to anxiety, hypervigilance, relationship struggle, depression, and a difficulty being your authentic self

How therapy can help:

Together we can identify adaptations you made to survive. We can examine how those formerly successful strategies are now working against you. And we can work to develop new relationships that have better boundaries and feel much more mutual