The father complex is a bundle of unconcious memories, emotions, impulses and beliefs that we have , formed out of our association with the Father archetype.
When the discussion about father complex pops up , many – and some researchers included, associate it with individuals having a negative relationship with the father – a connotation which we shall utterly dismiss in our case for a father complex can either be positive or negative.
Sigmund Freud on the Father Complex.
Freud used the phrase in the article “The future prospects of psychoanalytic therapy (1910 d) where he observed that the resistance that mostly came from his patients was as a result of a father complex ie: the fear, defiance and mistrust of the father.
Similarly, the concept was explored in his other works such as the Theory of the Oedipus complex, Totems & Taboo and his study on the Rat man where he alluded the Rat man’s compulsion to struggles against paternal authority.
Carl Jung on the Father Complex.
Jung, one of the stubborn student of Freud claimed that the father complex was evident in both sons and daughters. To jung, the father complex wasn’t entirely negative for it had positive effects too for instance; over-readiness to believe in authority.
In sons, a highly father-dependent son who he termed ‘a fils a papa’ whom he claim the father is still too much the guarantor of his existence.
In females, a negatively charged father complex leads to trust issues in men for instance; one deems men to be uncooperative, judgemental or harsh.
Modern Perspective of the Father Complex.
Modern researchers and experts use the phrase “Father hunger” when explaining the effect an absent father (whether physically or emotionally) has on his children. For instance; The eating disorders expert Margo Maine in her book Fathers, Daughters and food (1991) explains that kids have a longing for connection with their father. An unmet father hunger might later lead to issues such as disordered eating or mental health.
In the Modern Pop Culture, The term ‘Daddy Issues‘ has been used in place of father Complexes. Though mostly applied when discussing female relations to their father, daddy issues can be found in and still affect men too later in life for instance; manifesting as a mistrust in men or authority.
The types Of fathers involved in our lives include;
1. The Overindulgant Father who spoils his kids with affection, material comforts or attention.
2. The emotionally Unavailable father
3. The Abusive Father who might be hostile
4. The Dependent Father who might raise Parentified kids who take care of him.
5. The Controlling Father who want to dominate and micromanager over his kids.
6. The Neglective Father who fails to meet his kid’s needs.
The effects of Father Complex later in Adulthood;Â
•Introjected father voices still shape much of our later life- manifesting as an inner voice or inner judge. For instance; A voice that was much negative, critical or harsh makes us to become more harsher to ourselves than others or even critical of everything we see.
• Trauma’s that we repressed out of experiences with the abusive father or the father hunger that arouse from the Emotionally unavailable father makes us seek addictions or other habits to numb the pain.
• The overindulgant Father who spoils the Kids might raise kids who grow up expecting everyone to adore them or pamper them. These kids are masters at manipulating others.
• The Neglective or distant father might make us develop self-reliant behaviours and traits that are crafted from an image of independence to compensate for our fear of Disappointment.
• The emotionally unavailable father raises kids who might unconsciously seek external validation from others to fill the void. This might be through for instance; Flirting with men for the daughter or overachieving in work for the man.
• Mistrust and disdain in the Father figure is displaced to mistrust and disdain to authorities in the society. This might lead to rebellious attitude , disdain for rules and to worse extends crime and robbery cases.
•The young girl raised by an overindulgant Father grows up seeking partners who might play the Father role for instance; Providing financial assistance or attention. She may unconsciously be drawn to older men.
One the other hand, a girl raised by a harsh critical father who made her introject his voices that she grew up with low self-esteem craves for male validation in attempts to feel worthy. She might unconsciously be drawn to men she consider powerful for instance; A young student attracted to a professor as an unconcious attempt to feel powerful or superior through identification.
• Sons unconsciously identify themselves with their fathers by emulating their behaviours and characters. If the father – son relationship was however negative and the son had a “Nothing like father attitude” , he might de-identify himself with the father.
•Abusive fathers raise kids who are either extremely shy and nervous or those who are hostile in nature that any feelings of inferiority might stir up their insecurities.
•The father- child relationship forms the blueprint of how we see or perceive men in the society. We internalize core beliefs about men and their expectations of how they will treat us.
•Sometimes girls are drawn to men who resemble their fathers in attempt to resolve the unresolved issues and tasks from childhood by recreating a similar dynamic.
In General, Fathers play a major role in any child’s life as much as the society dwells much on the mother Complex. Their actions, words and even behaviours shape the lens through which a kid views men in the society, view themselves and even expect from the society.