over-attatched to parents?

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I am a loner by design. But, I am attracted to maternal/paternal types. I am always interested in parents and I watch interactions in public places vicariously. My father died when I turned 12 (long illness) and my mother was cruel to me. Mostly I never think about parents but every so often I get sharp "orphan pains."

Sexually, I like older men who are protective and strong. I do not know any personally though now. I am Electra.

When I was first evaluated at 5 years old ..back in 1972-3, the only diagnosis the Drs came up with, after a year, was that I was overly attached to my mother.

Today, she is my best friend, my greatest supporter, and ironically enough, my number 1 stressor.

I don't know how to survive without her.

I've been told by people it's not healthy. What's unhealthy of a mother daughter bond?

I'm not a mother myself, but if a Dr told me that my 5 year old was too attached to me, I'd probably slap him.

However, I feel much more inhibited when I'm with her. I'm not myself around her, and it makes me uncomfortable.

I feel like most of my life is made up of damned if ya do, damned if ya don't instances.

Yes there are times when it appears i am overly attached to my mother. But in reality i really want and strive for independance from her.

She is also one of my biggest supporters, my whole life when everyone has deserted me, she's the only one that has been there for me.

I am not attached to my parents as parents per se. Even from an early age my parents treaded me as an equal and as a result I matured quickly. They never bull shitted me: no Santa Clause, Easter Bunny, or Tooth Fairy. When I asked how babies are made when I was maybe 10 they told me the truth without fuss or embellishment. When ever I questioned why they wanted me to do something they gave me a logical explanation instead of "because I told you to." So I learned what I call second order morality (acting a certain way because you see the reason to instead of acting out of fear of punishment). As a result they rarely had to punish me any further than a 'Michael that was wrong and this is why it was wrong.' In high school, they let me make my own decisions even if they disagreed with me. They would clearly say why I shouldn't do such and such thing and if I didn't listen they would pick up the pieces when I, invariably, got hurt and fell apart. Because of this freedom, we always had really good communication and I had little reason to keep things from them.

So the point I'm rambling toward is that my parents rarely asserted parent <-> child authority over me and as I have grown older our relationship has developed into a close friendship rather than some awkward parent/college student thing you see in books and movies all the time. We relate very well. My dad and I particularly have very similar tastes especially in books, movies, and alcohol. We both love a fine scotch, Manhattan, or martini. I started drinking in the house at age 16 which was fine with my parents so long as I was responsible. As a result I have never gotten sick off of alcohol or gotten "stupid drunk" like many of my college friends. Every day, I am SO thankful for my parents. If I ever have kids, I dream that I could be even half that Dad that mine was to me.

I go to school out of state, so I don't see them as much, but we talk on the phone every few days.

I'm very close to my parents, but I don't think it's out of the ordinary. I live alone, about an hour from them, but we talk on the phone almost every day and visit each other every week or so. I've had what you might call a "checkered past" with both my mom and my dad, but I enjoy their company, and they're very supportive.