[Woahhs]

Could you elaborate on "the first eight years" more? Might go a long way towards balancing your obviously wider breadth of experience, and my conclusions.

[Quix]

Would be happy to. But running out of gas tonight.

Will try to, tomorrow.

Basically, a child looks to the parent for love, affection, care, protection. When it's not there or not there sufficiently in quality and quantity, then a lot of destructive mind sets, reflexes, compensations get built in at an early age. These end up really fouling up future relationships wholesale until they are worked through.