Enmeshment: meaning, definitions and examples

Psychology

• Often discussed in family therapy, where boundaries may become unclear, leading to emotional difficulties.
• Enmeshment can affect personal growth, as individuals may struggle to establish their own identities apart from family or partners.
• It's a common concept in discussions about codependency, where one person's emotional health relies heavily on another.

Etymology

• The word 'enmesh' comes from ‘mesh,’ a term that means to entangle or interweave.
• The prefix 'en-' indicates causing an action, so 'enmesh' literally means to cause to become tangled in a mesh.
• Enmeshment has been used in psychological literature since the late 20th century, evolving as a concept alongside family systems theory.

Sociology

• Relationships in enmeshed families often lack privacy, leading to challenges in developing independence among members.
• Such dynamics can perpetuate cycles of behavior, where trauma or emotional distress is passed down through generations.
• In collectivist cultures, enmeshment can be more pronounced as family units often prioritize community and togetherness over individualism.

Literature

• Many novels explore themes of enmeshment through family dynamics, highlighting how characters may struggle with their own identities.
• The concept is often used in character development to illustrate an individual’s difficulty in breaking free from family expectations or roles.
• Authors often portray enmeshed relationships as fraught with tension, creating compelling narratives of conflict and resolution.

Ranking #38,627, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.

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