What causes two people to become enmeshed? The causes of enmeshment

can vary. Sometimes there is an event or series of occurrences in a family's history that necessitates a parent becoming protective in their child's life, such as an illness, trauma, or significant social problems in elementary school.

Where does enmeshment come from?

The concept of enmeshment was introduced by family therapist Salvador Minuchin in the 1970s. Typically, boundaries that help determine how close family members are to each other, as well as who participates in specific family matters, exist within a family system.

What causes enmeshed family?

Instead of the strong bonds that signal a well-functioning family unit, family members are fused together by unhealthy emotions. Usually, enmeshment is rooted in trauma or illness. Perhaps a parent has an addiction or mental illness, or perhaps a child is chronically ill and needs to be protected.