Many adults struggle to set boundaries due to a childhood spent prioritizing others' needs over their own. This inability leads to behaviors associated with people pleasing, which can cause significant health risks, including autoimmune diseases and a shorter lifespan. The intersection of trauma and boundary issues creates fear surrounding self-advocacy and standing up for one's needs. Over time, this behavior becomes damaging, underscoring the importance of learning to set boundaries in small yet effective ways.
The body seems to sense our struggle to create boundaries and that we will sacrifice ourselves for the needs of others, carry their stress, fix their woes.
Setting boundaries can dredge up fear of not being loved, being labeled dramatic or hysterical, being abandoned, mocked, or gaslit. This fear stokes our impulse to over-give.
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