Dear Maya55:

Yes, I do  believe that this mix of empathy and anger toward our parents does “comes back to (our) relationships” later in life.

What happens in the later relationship, such as with your ex is that because of that empathy, you tolerate hurtful behavior. If you were only angry at him following his unloving and hurtful behavior toward you, and there was no correcting of his behavior (for example, if he stopped watching porn), then you would have left him.

anita