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Daddy Issues in Men

Daddy Issues in Men

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Yes, daddy issues in men can arise too, as women are not the only ones who can suffer from daddy issues, and these issues can present themselves due to reasons like absentee, abusive, or emotionally unavailable fathers. We are here to discuss how people having distant relationships with their fathers or no relationship at all can contribute to developing what people call ‘daddy issues’ (Behere et al., 2017).  While people use this term often, ‘daddy issues’ are not an official mental health diagnosis. In this article, we’ll delve into the psychology of the term ‘daddy issues, ’ all the while we also discuss signs of daddy issues in a man.

Can Men Have Daddy Issues?

Children who tend to have troubled relationships with their father, or even their closest father figure, will also have trouble attaching themselves to others in their life during the entire adulthood. Men tend to develop an insecure attachment style when their fathers are neglectful towards them (Kim et al., 2021). This is because unhealthy parent-child relationships tend to instill mistrust and uncertainty that lead to daddy issues later in life. Therapists and leading experts are not very fond of the word ‘daddy issues’ because they believe that children should not be blamed for the sins of their father. Having close relationships with a father figure won’t lead to you having daddy issues as a man, as this term refers more so to exceptionally close relationships that are unhealthy or potentially harmful to one’s mental health, which can be avoided if child and adolescent psychiatry is taken on time. Let’s discuss the literal causes of how men can have daddy issues in the following section.

Read More: Child Psychiatrist – A Guide For Parents & Guardians

What Causes Someone to Develop Daddy Issues?

The potential factors that play a role in the development of daddy issues in men are as follows:

Unhealthy Relationship With Father

While having a father figure is a blessing, daddy issues in men often develop when a father and the son share a close bond that is unhealthy. While it can happen due to the father favoring one son over other siblings because he sees himself in him or just plainly spoiling him, this can also happen due to the father looking at the child as a romantic partner or a date. For a young child, this type of unhealthy close bond can lead to mental, emotional, and sexual abuse, often leading the child into issues like mood disorders, such as bipolar disorder or male daddy issues.

Absentee Father

An absentee father is the kind of father who is never around, whether emotionally or physically, but in the end, they are never around. This could be because the father worked a lot, left the family, or couldn’t be counted on due to a drug or alcohol problem. Due to this, the affected children try to fill that void, as someone might constantly need attention and validation from older men to fill the father role. They usually start out by seeking this older male’s approval, advice, or company to compensate for the lack of physical and emotional closeness that they missed out on due to their daddy issues. And just like that, guys with daddy issues come into existence.

Abuse

Any kind of abuse, be it sexual, physical, or emotional, tends to be scarring for the child who is experiencing it. Young children are essentially vulnerable and look up to their parental figures. They also trust their parents to set up a boundary that shouldn’t ever be crossed, but sometimes it is. Usually, the culprit is a stepparent or another father figure, but a biological father can also be at fault.

Abuse of any kind can be scarring enough to have anyone at an increased risk of mental problems such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), sometimes even leading them to suicidal ideation (Ullman et al., 2014; Yoon et al., 2018). Victims often blame themselves for what took place and are targets of childhood trauma, neglect, while sexual abuse can also cause them to feel shame.

Read More: The Hidden Mental Scars of Childhood Trauma in Adults

Signs of Daddy Issues in a Man

There are many signs of daddy issues in a man that can be presented as telltale signs to see if the issues are indeed there.

Being Territorial

When children are not raised in a consistently loving environment, they turn out to be territorial and jealous freaks. Due to these reasons, they are unable to sustain meaningful lives in their adulthood (Rodriguez et al., 2015). They may get anxious over the little things.

Abandonment Fears

Daddy issues in men often lead to guys jumping from one relationship to another because they are afraid to be alone. They may also inadvertently drive their partners away if they constantly need reassurance or if they consistently question their partner’s love for them.

Toxic Patterns

Daddy issues in men also lead to them duplicating relationships they have with people. These relationships tend to be predominantly toxic. They are so hardwired to it that they go out looking for toxic relationships.

Reassurance Addicts

Male daddy issues also relate to something that is deeply rooted in abandonment fears described above. This fear often takes the form of requiring constant affection, constant attention, or constant approval due to the now-grown man having an insatiable need to receive love.

Read More: ADHD vs Bipolar Disorder: Comparing The Two Conditions

Treating And Dealing With Daddy Issues in Men

The importance of fathers being involved in their families should not be underestimated. Prevention is better than cure, so if a father is involved with his children, both physically and emotionally, then there is a good chance his offspring will turn out fine. Some studies have found fewer behavioral problems in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who spent a higher quantity of time with their fathers (Climie et al., 2015).

But if you or someone you know went through daddy issues of their own, you can go for treatment such as psychotherapy or psychiatric medication management to deal with the problems that erupted due to those daddy issues.

Wrapping Up!

Now you know the answer to a question like, “What is daddy issues for a guy?’, and in addition to that, you have symptoms of daddy issues in men. If the usual treatment method doesn’t work for you, then you can go for telepsychiatry at Orange Coast Psychiatry.

Frequently Asked Questions

The theory suggests that a child forms a strong attachment with a parent of the opposite sex and has feelings of competition toward their same-sex parent. 

It can stem from an absent, neglectful, or challenging relationship with one’s father can potentially impact relationships.

Mommy issues may involve struggles with emotional intimacy, trust, and dependency, which may often come from overprotective or distant mothers, while daddy issues often relate to authority, self-esteem, and identity, typically from strained relationships with fathers.

Reference and Footnotes
  1. Behere AP, Basnet P, Campbell P. Effects of family structure on mental health of children: A preliminary study. Indian J Psychol Med. 2017;39(4):457-463. doi:10.4103/0253-7176.211767
  2. Kim SH, Baek M, Park S. Association of parent-child experiences with insecure attachment in adulthood: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Fam Theory Rev. 2021;13(1):58-76. doi:10.1111/jftr.12402
  3. Ullman SE, Peter-Hagene Lc, Relyea M. Coping, emotion regulation, and self-blame as mediators of sexual abuse and psychological symptoms in adult sexual assault. J Child Sex Abuse. 2014;23(1):74-93. doi:10.1080/10538712.2014.864747
  4. Yoon S, Bellamy JL, Kim W, Yoon D. Father involvement and behavior problems among preadolescents at risk of maltreatment. J Child Fam Stud. 2018;27(2):494-504. doi:10.1007/s10826-017-0890-6
  5. Rodriguez LM, DiBello AM, Øverup CS, Neighbors C. The price of distrust: Trust, anxious attachment, jealousy, and partner abuse. Partner Abuse. 2015;6(3):298-319. doi:10.1891/1946-6560.6.3.298
  6. Climie EA, Mitchell K. Parent-child relationship and behavior problems in children with ADHD. Int J Development Disabil. 2017;63(1):27-35. doi:10.1080/20473869.2015.1112498

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Jackson Tea, MSN, PMHNP-BC, serves as the Administrative Director and a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) at Orange Coast Psychiatry. Dedicated to breaking the stigma surrounding mental health, Jackson is passionate about providing compassionate, evidence-based care that empowers individuals to take charge of their mental well-being. His expertise includes comprehensive psychiatric assessments, personalized medication management, and behavioral health interventions designed to help patients achieve the best possible outcomes in their mental health journey.
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M.D. – Psychiatrist

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Board-Certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist

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