 Singer John Mayer has a song called Daughters that discusses the importance of fathers being there for their daughters. Mayer wanted to emphasize the message that daughters have to be nurtured well in their childhoods because those actions will affect the relationships they have when they become adults. But not every girl gets the treatment they hope for. Some of them grew up with hardships and only understood the unstable, fragile love they received from the person they called their dad. Here are six types of unhealthy father-daughter relationships. Number one, the lost father. The lost father is someone who is physically present in their daughter's lives but abandons her emotionally. He never praises her daughter for her accomplishments or notices the changes that she's going through. As a result, daughters with a lost father often feel confused about their self-identity and have trouble identifying their strengths and talents. They also typically suffer from low self-esteem issues and usually look for the love and affection they crave in their romantic relationships. Number two, the abusive father. The abusive father often has unstable moods and exhibits unpredictable, destructive behavior. He usually has a hard time controlling his anger and takes his stress out on his daughter, which results in verbal, physical, or sexual abuse. The abusive father only cares about his own needs and fails to treat his daughter right. Daughters of abusive fathers often grow up with no true identity. They are fearful, timid, and prefer not to be noticed by others. In romantic relationships, daughters of abusive fathers expect to be mistreated by their partners and struggle with vulnerability and intimacy. Number three, the pampering father. The pampering father is the opposite from the abusive father, whereas the abusive father takes the pampering father gives. He doesn't set healthy boundaries and treats his daughter like a princess. Consequently, she often grows up being manipulative and self-absorbed. In romantic relationships, daughters of pampering fathers usually seek to be served and puts her needs first over their partners. Pampering fathers have a hard time saying no and allow their daughters to be spoiled. They worry about being mean and controlling and thus mistake their giving nature to be supportive when they fail to teach their daughters to treat them with respect. Number four, the toxic father. The toxic father creates a co-dependent relationship with his daughter. He often exercises helicopter parenting and has a hard time letting go of his daughter as she grows up. Even when she's capable of taking care of herself, he clips her wings off so she can rely on him for support. The toxic father fails to teach his daughter the proper life skills she needs to grow. He often dominors and makes decisions for her, thinking he knows what's best for her. As a result, daughters of toxic fathers have a hard time living successful, independent lives. Number five, the ruined father. The ruined father constantly relies on his daughter to survive. He may suffer from an addiction, severe depression, or be unemployed and needs his daughter by his side in order to function. He often guilt trips his daughter into doing favors for him, which can lead to bitterness and anger down the road as she tries to make it out on her own without having to look out for him. Daughters of ruined fathers tend to be selfless and have a hard time setting healthy boundaries with others because they have to play the role of a caretaker all their lives. As they reach adulthood, they may enter relationships where they end up baby or giving their partner special treatment without receiving the same love and attention. Number six, the anguished father. The anguished father constantly lets his daughter down. As a result, she reacts to his perceived faults, failures, and indifferences with rebellious behavior and unhealthy lifestyle choices such as eating disorders or risky sex to demonstrate what's bothering her. Daughters of anguished fathers take part in unhealthy choices hoping that their self-damage will influence their fathers to stop or quit their own bad habits. They are willing to hurt themselves because they don't know how to address the concerns they have for them that will reach them. Although daughters of anguished fathers might feel like they are free to do as they please, in reality, they are actually trapped by the feeling they have towards their fathers that are strongly expressed in their reactions and behavior. Which type of unhealthy father-daughter relationship do you resonate with? We know how hard it is to talk about toxic family dynamics and want to be a safe, non-judgmental place for you. Please share your story with us down below. Also, don't forget to subscribe for more content from Psych2Go and check out our Patreon. Thanks for watching!