Key points

Enmeshed relationships can blur personal boundaries and make self-identification difficult.

Healthy boundaries help regain individuality and protect emotional energy.

Consistent boundary-setting is crucial.

An enmeshed relationship is one where interpersonal boundaries are blurred. The people involved become so emotionally intertwined that it’s hard to tell where one person ends and the other begins. This can happen between parents and children, siblings, romantic partners, or even close friends.

If you’re in an enmeshed relationship, you may:

Have difficulty making decisions on your own.

Feel guilty or selfish if you do anything without the other person or if it displeases them.

Feel like you’re constantly walking on eggshells, afraid of saying or doing the wrong th

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