Nemo is a good name for me in such states. Peace on you, Arfie.

Name calling says a lot more about the caller than the callee imho. Please do what you feel you need and I will look forward to your particular brand of humour and common sense when you feel better.

With my own kids, I've learned that it's not the "name" and all the tone, the way it's said and the meaning. The nicest names can cut like knives, and the most awful names can bond.

I call my daughter..."Baby Maggot Scum", Maggie for short. (I'm Mama Maggot Scum, MMS for short, thank you very much.)

My son is "Baby Rat" (I'm Mama Rat, my son isn't "special" enough for my nickname to have a nickname with him.)

That's really just the beginning of the nicknames, he's Blue Jay (aka Blue, aka Boo or Boo Bird); she's Cardinal (aka Cardie).


I think a lot of the mean name calling is more about De-humanization. The same way that military armies give nicknames to the enemy (ragheads, krauts, gooks, etc).

I agree with looney1 and patti22's points. My egg donor used to call me stupid when I was growing up. I eventually have come to realize that she says this about everyone but not before the damage had been done. I don't have contact with her to this day and tend to be paranoid of others thinking I'm stupid. I'm in therapy and this is one of several reasons. I hope you can find some peace with this matter.

I totally understand how you feel because I was called lots and lots of names when I was a child and still as an adult. I was bullied as a child and a few times as an adult. I understand how the word can hurt you like a knife. As I have gotten older though, I have realized something in that even though the word itself hurts like a knife, it is the actions or the non-verbal language that can cause much more pain that the actual word. I can recall a time where people were so nice to my face, smiling at me, and just being so polite, but then went behind my back and told things about me and called me names. To me, that was hurtful as well as being called a name to my face. My advice to share is to write in a journal about all of the names that you remember and also do some art with those names. I have found that if I associate the name with the artwork, then it is much better and I can gain some comfort out of it. For example, being called Big and drawing a big elephant on your paper can help you turn that sadness into laughter because it is now associated with an elephant as being big. I wish you the best. Marcy CNA

My step dad used to call me names and belittle and de humanize me- it just goes to show their intelligence that they have to stoop to that level of cruelty. I've since realized he was the one with the problem and it wasn't me. ((hugs Arfie))

I think sometimes with name calling they mirror out what they feel about themselves onto you.

Big hug to you Arfie

Excellent point KAdunn about name calling and showing their intelligence. I'd say LACK of in this case! I would also add LACK of maturity! Only immature people call others names. Such people REALLY need to grow up and stop acting like they're still in high school! This would definitely include my egg donor!