HOME QUIZZES E-COURSES BOOK CLUB STUDY GROUP RELATIONSHIPS PARENTING WORK WITH ME
Login Here

Authoritarian Parenting Style

 

Strict and Controlling.

 

Authoritarian parents are strict and controlling, offering high structure but little warmth. They enforce rules rigidly, with minimal room for dialogue, and often rely on punishment rather than guidance. Emotional needs are overlooked, and obedience is prioritized over understanding. Discipline is enforced through fear or shame rather than mutual respect or emotional attunement.

BADDHA PERSONALITY TYPE

The result of Authoritarian Parenting Style

 

The essence the adult personality formed by authoritarian parenting—often marked by fear, rigidity, self-doubt, or repressed emotion is called Baddha - The Bound Ego. This person may appear obedient, high-achieving, or externally disciplined—but internally, their sense of self (ahankara) is constricted by fear, judgment, and conditional worth.

 

   

SANSKRIT MEANING of Baddha-Āhankārin  (बद्ध-अहंकारिन्)

  • Baddha (बद्ध) — meaning bound, restrained, or confined. Root: from the verbal root √bandh (to bind, tie, restrain).
  • Āhankārin (अहंकारिन्) — meaning one who possesses ego or a person with a sense of "I". Derived from Ahamkāra (अहंकार) = ego/self-concept + -in (इन) suffix, meaning one who has or is characterized by.
  • So together:
    बद्ध-अहंकारिन् (Baddha-Ahaṅkārin)
    = One whose ego is bound or constricted.

 

VEDIC PSYCHOLOGY PERSPECTIVE

Authoritarian parenting often imprints rajasic samskaras—impressions of fear, control, and conditional worth—on the child’s subtle body. These create a fragmented ahankara (ego-identity) rooted in performance and compliance. Healing involves cultivating Sattva: inner discernment, emotional safety, and the courage to reclaim one’s authentic voice

Baddha Personality Type

Self-doubting. Perfectionistic. Emotionally repressed. Passive-aggressive. Rigid thinker.

 

Personality Traits 

  1. Perfectionism and self-criticism
    Raised under strict standards and conditional approval, they may feel they’re never “good enough,” constantly striving to earn validation or avoid failure.

  2. Difficulty with self-trust
    When decisions were dictated or punished, these adults may second-guess themselves, fear making mistakes, or seek excessive external approval.

  3. Suppressed emotions
    Because emotional expression was often discouraged or shamed, they may bottle up feelings, experience inner pressure, or erupt under stress.

  4. Passive-aggressive behavior or rebellion
    Years of enforced compliance can manifest as covert defiance, sarcasm, or an undercurrent of resistance in relationships and workplaces.

  5. Fear of authority or conflict
    They may feel intimidated by strong personalities or avoid confrontation altogether, often prioritizing obedience over authenticity.

  6. Rigid internal rules
    Their inner world may mirror the rigidity they grew up with—harsh inner critics, black-and-white thinking, and inflexibility in adapting to change.

A Vedic Psychology Portrait

Decoding the Inner Self Through Ayurvedic Face & Body Reading

 

For centuries, Ayurvedic physicians have practiced mukha-vijnana—the sacred art of reading the face and body to discern the inner landscape of a person’s mind, constitution, and character. Rooted in the understanding that the body reflects the soul’s impressions and experiences, this subtle science interprets posture, gaze, and expression as windows into samskaras and developmental influences.

In this portrait, we observe the Baddha. marked by perfectionistic pressure, discipline, emotional suppression, and inner tension often seen in adults shaped by authoritarian parenting.

As the image suggests this person exhibits:

  • Tense posture with crossed arms: This closed, guarded stance suggests defensiveness and emotional rigidity—common in those conditioned to suppress feelings or stay hyper-vigilant to avoid criticism.

  • Furrowed brow and intense gaze: These features convey inner pressure, seriousness, and possibly repressed anger—hallmarks of a childhood where emotional expression was discouraged or punished.

  • Unsmiling face: Reflective of emotional restraint and a lack of comfort with vulnerability, often stemming from a fear of judgment or rejection.

  • Formal, neat attire: Suggests an internalized standard of discipline and control, typical of those who were raised to value external order over internal ease.

  • Rigid neck and shoulders: The stiffness in the upper body implies chronic tension and a lack of ease, often seen in those raised under authoritarian control where relaxation was mistaken for laziness or disobedience.

Together, these features portray a Baddha—an embodiment of authoritarian parenting’s fruits—marked by guarded posture, chronic tension, and a rigid drive to suppress emotion in favor of control.

How Were You Parented?


Take the Parenting Style quiz to uncover the dominant style of your parent. Trace the roots from your childhood upbringing to the patterns you carry into adulthood.

 

Take the quiz

DEEPEN YOUR STUDIES

 

Click on the title to learn more.