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“One Becomes A Narcissist And One Doesn’t”: Doctor Explains Why No One Ever Has “The Same Parents”
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“One Becomes A Narcissist And One Doesn’t”: Doctor Explains Why No One Ever Has “The Same Parents”

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Do you have siblings? Whether you’re the first born, middle child, baby or somewhere else in between, chances are the role you play in your family has been shaped by where you fell in the birth order. But it’s not as simple as being destined for a life of high-achieving if you’re the first born, being overlooked if you’re in the middle and being coddled if you’re the youngest. According to one doctor, growing up in the same household does not even guarantee that we have the same parents as our siblings.

Dahlia Kurtz recently shared an interview with Dr. Gabor Maté on TikTok where he explained why no two children have the same parents, and his sentiments resonated with many viewers. Below, you’ll find his whole explanation that might also strike a chord with you, some of the replies fascinated viewers have left, and an interview we were lucky enough to receive from Dahlia Kurtz.

We would love to hear your thoughts on Dr. Maté’s insight in the comments if you grew up with brothers and sisters, and then if you’re looking for another Bored Panda article highling how vastly different siblings’ experiences can be, look no further than right here.  

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    After being asked how siblings can turn out vastly different despite being raised in the same circumstances, physician Dr. Gabor Maté raised a fascinating point

    Image credits: dahliakurtz

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    Image credits: Vidal Balielo Jr. (not the actual photo)

    He explained that no two siblings can ever have the exact same experience with their parents

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    Dr. Maté is an expert on childhood development and often writes and speaks about topics such as this

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    Image credits: Gabor Maté

    You can hear his full explanation right here

    @dahliakurtz How could your sibling be raised the same but turn out so differently? Maybe even a narcissist? Dr. Gabor Mate has the facsinating answer. You’ll never see yor sibling the same…For the full conversation, check out rhe link in bio. #mentalhealth #mentalhealthmatters #depressed #happy #gabormate #drgabormate #siblings #narcissism #parents #recoverty #trauma #help #healing #dahlia #bpd #anxiety #family #familygoals #siblingcheck #siblinggoals ♬ original sound – Dahlia Kurtz

    When it comes to raising siblings the same way, the conversation usually revolves around raising boys and girls the same way. Parents are told not to impose gender roles or stereotypes onto their children that might cause them to grow up with prejudices or feel unsafe to explore their true personality and interests. That is a very important conversation to have, but far less often do we hear people call attention to the fact that siblings are actually never raised the same way.

    To gain more insight on this particular topic, we reached out to the woman who interviewed Dr. Maté in the video, radio host, speaker and podcaster Dahlia Kurtz. We were curious if Dahlia resonated with what Dr. Maté shared during this interview. “When Dr. Maté explained that no two children are raised by the same parents – my entire perception and understanding of my family dynamic shifted,” Dahlia told Bored Panda. “And while his reasoning came from a very educated, researched, and experienced place, I felt like this answer seemed so obvious I should have known it my entire life. I think this is because when things resonate so clearly, in hindsight they seem so obvious.”

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    “But I will say, even though Dr. Maté said that as the middle child I could not compete with the baby for cuteness – I was the only girl and pretty dang cute,” Dahlia added. I’ll second that; being the middle child does have its perks when you’re sandwiched between two brothers, at least in my experience.

    Dahlia also shared some of the most enlightening things she has learned from her conversations with Dr. Maté. The three big points that struck her were his explanation about siblings having different parents, how everything goes back to childhood trauma (which you can find him discuss in this TikTok), and his advice for people who feel like they can’t go on, which you can find in this TikTok. The full conversation between Dahlia and Dr. Maté can be found on her website right here.

    We also asked Dahlia if she has taken anything from her conversations with Dr. Maté that she remembers in her everyday life. “Well, for one, I can’t stop thinking about our conversation because people have not stopped asking me about it,” she shared with a smile. “But I’m so happy about that. Because it shows how desperately people want to heal. How they want to be better. How they want to help others.”

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    “I’ve actually been thinking less about me and more about those who think they are stuck in whatever helpless situation,” Dahlia explained. “I’m trying to figure out a way to get Dr. Maté’s insight to them. Words are powerful. And his words can save lives. Especially in such a deep-rooted loneliness epidemic like the one we’re living in. People do not feel seen. He sees them. They need to feel this. It will show them there’s hope. And they will realize they are so much stronger than they think they are.”

    “As Dr. Maté told me, if you are even thinking that you can’t go on, if you are even questioning yourself, that part of you that is having that conversation inside your head, is the part of you that cares about you. So if there’s a part of you that really cares about you, you really do have value,” Dahlia shared.

    Finally, we asked Dahlia if she thinks it’s important for parents and children to hear the message Dr. Maté shared in this video. “Absolutely,” she said. “When you understand things in context, why they happen, then you can shift your perspective. Self-blame and self-hate diminish. Your empathy increases. Your compassion increases. And maybe most importantly, your self-compassion increases.”

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    If you’d like to see more uplifting content from Dahlia, be sure to follow her on TikTok and check out her podcast Live And Help Live, which she describes as “kinda like Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood – but for adults”, on her website right here.

    We would love to hear your thoughts on this video down below. Could you always tell that you were raised differently than your siblings, or has seeing this video been a major epiphany for you? Feel free to share your personal experiences, pandas, and then if you’re interested in gaining even more knowledge from Dr. Maté, you can find his website right here

    Dr. Maté’s insight resonated with many viewers, some even felt compelled to share their own experiences online

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    Adelaide Ross

    Adelaide Ross

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

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    Howdy, I'm Adelaide! I'm originally from Texas, but after graduating from university with an acting degree, I relocated to sunny Los Angeles for a while. I then got a serious bite from the travel bug and found myself moving to Sweden and England before settling in Lithuania about two years ago. I'm passionate about animal welfare, sustainability and eating delicious food. But as you can see, I cover a wide range of topics including drama, internet trends and hilarious memes. I can easily be won over with a Seinfeld reference, vegan pastry or glass of fresh cold brew. And during my free time, I can usually be seen strolling through a park, playing tennis or baking something tasty.

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    Adelaide Ross

    Adelaide Ross

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    Howdy, I'm Adelaide! I'm originally from Texas, but after graduating from university with an acting degree, I relocated to sunny Los Angeles for a while. I then got a serious bite from the travel bug and found myself moving to Sweden and England before settling in Lithuania about two years ago. I'm passionate about animal welfare, sustainability and eating delicious food. But as you can see, I cover a wide range of topics including drama, internet trends and hilarious memes. I can easily be won over with a Seinfeld reference, vegan pastry or glass of fresh cold brew. And during my free time, I can usually be seen strolling through a park, playing tennis or baking something tasty.

    Ilona Baliūnaitė

    Ilona Baliūnaitė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

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    I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda since 2017. I've searched through a multitude of images to create over 2000 diverse posts on a wide range of topics. I love memes, funny, and cute stuff, but I'm also into social issues topics. Despite my background in communication, my heart belongs to visual media, especially photography. When I'm not at my desk, you're likely to find me in the streets with my camera, checking out cool exhibitions, watching a movie at the cinema or just chilling with a coffee in a cozy place

    Read less »

    Ilona Baliūnaitė

    Ilona Baliūnaitė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda since 2017. I've searched through a multitude of images to create over 2000 diverse posts on a wide range of topics. I love memes, funny, and cute stuff, but I'm also into social issues topics. Despite my background in communication, my heart belongs to visual media, especially photography. When I'm not at my desk, you're likely to find me in the streets with my camera, checking out cool exhibitions, watching a movie at the cinema or just chilling with a coffee in a cozy place

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    ZombieGirl
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have 3 older siblings. So much older that they were moved out of the house by the time I was old enough to talk and remember them living at home. They had a PTA, stay at home, make dinner every night mom. I had an abusive mother who mentally and physically at times abused me. My older siblings never understood when I would tell them we both had different versions of that woman, and to this day they still don't believe that I was ever abused. My mother hid it from them and she lied about it to everyone when I did try telling people. She would even smirk at me when my attempts failed. It was a nightmare. I know this article isn't exactly the same thing, but I felt like venting, lol

    Stefaan De Clerck
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Keep venting. Not all parents are rolemodels - some are real monsters for (some off) their children.

    Load More Replies...
    Fembot
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Absolutely, with our first pancake I was an insecure parent in the middle of mourning. With the second, there was a much more stable home life, plus a heap of parenting experience. Not even counting personality differences and oldest/youngest dynamic.

    Fembot
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Both pancakes / children are turning out okay and lovely, btw. But two very, very different people

    Load More Replies...
    pebs
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This make a lot of sense, but I believe that at the base of personality there are also certain genetic characteristics.

    Load More Comments
    ZombieGirl
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have 3 older siblings. So much older that they were moved out of the house by the time I was old enough to talk and remember them living at home. They had a PTA, stay at home, make dinner every night mom. I had an abusive mother who mentally and physically at times abused me. My older siblings never understood when I would tell them we both had different versions of that woman, and to this day they still don't believe that I was ever abused. My mother hid it from them and she lied about it to everyone when I did try telling people. She would even smirk at me when my attempts failed. It was a nightmare. I know this article isn't exactly the same thing, but I felt like venting, lol

    Stefaan De Clerck
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Keep venting. Not all parents are rolemodels - some are real monsters for (some off) their children.

    Load More Replies...
    Fembot
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Absolutely, with our first pancake I was an insecure parent in the middle of mourning. With the second, there was a much more stable home life, plus a heap of parenting experience. Not even counting personality differences and oldest/youngest dynamic.

    Fembot
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Both pancakes / children are turning out okay and lovely, btw. But two very, very different people

    Load More Replies...
    pebs
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This make a lot of sense, but I believe that at the base of personality there are also certain genetic characteristics.

    Load More Comments
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