The Meaning of Daddy Issues: What It Is and How To Use It

Do you know the meaning of daddy issues? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on the term daddy issues, including its meaning, usage, word origin, and more!

Your writing, at its best

Compose bold, clear, mistake-free, writing with Grammarly's AI-powered writing assistant

What does the word daddy issues mean?

According to Healthline, daddy issues are a pseudo-psychology term that refers to females’ attachment needs, such as avoidant or anxious attachment styles. If a woman grows up without a consistent father figure, this could lead to a fearful-avoidant, dismissive-avoidant, insecure attachment style later in adulthood or adult relationships. However, many experts take issue with this term as dismissive of attachment needs. This is not seen in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and a therapist or psychotherapist might take issue with these stereotypes. These relationship issues might present later in life in a bad relationship or complicated relationship with attachment issues or abandonment issues. Young boys might use this slang term as an excuse for a woman “acting crazy” when in reality, it is likely that he was not providing the attention or care that is needed in a relationship which can lead to disappointment. 

A poor relationship or troubled relationship that is filled with “daddy issues” is also known as an Electra complex. This is the equivalent of mommy issues in the Oedipus complex or Oedipal complex. Carl Jung took the view that both males and females could have a father complex, while Sigmund Freud only believed it in women. Daddy issues could lead to intimacy or sexual behavior issues, a lack of close relationships, non-secure attachments, unconscious impulses, a need for reassurance, and more. This negativity is often cast upon younger women by older men based on what they believe a caregiver did not provide in childhood.

“Daddy Issues” is also a song by the rock band The Neighbourhood. This song examines the relationship between frontman Jesse Rutherford and his late father. This song was released on October 30, 2015 on the album Wiped Out! The lyrics to the song are below from Genius.

Take you like a drug

I taste you on my tongue

[Pre-Chorus]

You ask me what I’m thinking about

I tell you that I’m thinking about

Whatever you’re thinking about (ah)

Tell me something that I’ll forget

And you might have to tell me again

It’s crazy what you’ll do for a friend

[Chorus]

Go ahead and cry, little girl

Nobody does it like you do

I know how much it matters to you

I know that you got daddy issues

And if you were my little girl

I’d do whatever I could do

I’d run away and hide with you

I know that you got daddy issues, and I do too

[Verse 2]

I tried to write your name in the rain

But the rain never came

So I made with the sun

The shade

Always comes at the worst time (ah)

[Pre-Chorus]

You ask me what I’m thinking about

I tell you that I’m thinking about

Whatever you’re thinking about

Tell me something that I’ll forget

And you might have to tell me again

It’s crazy what you’ll do for a friend

[Chorus]

Go ahead and cry, little girl

Nobody does it like you do

I know how much it matters to you

I know that you got daddy issues

And if you were my little girl

I’d do whatever I could do

I’d run away and hide with you

I know that you got daddy issues

[Bridge]

I keep on trying to let you go

I’m dying to let you know

How I’m getting on

I didn’t cry when you left at first

But now that you’re dead it hurts

This time I gotta know

Where did my daddy go?

I’m not entirely here

Half of me has disappeared

[Refrain]

Go ahead and cry, little boy

You know that your daddy did too

You know what your mama went through

You gotta let it out soon, just let it out

[Chorus]

Go ahead and cry, little girl

Nobody does it like you do

I know how much it matters to you

I know that you got daddy issues

And if you were my little girl

I’d do whatever I could do

I’d run away and hide with you

I know that you got daddy issues, and I do too

[Outro]

If you were my little girl

I’d do whatever I could do

I’d run away and hide with you

I know that you got daddy issues, and I do too

A list of songs by The Neighbourhood is below from Genius.

  •  Revenge
  •  To
  •  Me & My Bitch
  •  The Califournia
  •  Sweater Weather
  •  Unfair
  •  U&I
  •  Here We Go Again
  •  Wires
  •  Hard to imagine
  •  Baby Came Home
  •  Kill Us All
  •  Silver
  •  Nervous
  •  Middle of Somewhere
  •  H8M4CH1N3
  •  Rain Interlude
  •  The Mono-Tones
  •  Too Serious
  •  Noise
  •  Afraid (Twice as Nice Remix)
  •  Roll Call
  •  Prey
  •  Sweater Weather (Little Daylight Remix)
  •  R.I.P. 2 My Youth
  •  When I Get Back
  •  Pitiful
  •  Void
  •  1 Of Those Weaks
  •  Compass
  •  Paradise
  •  Stargazing
  •  Single
  •  Fallen Star
  •  Pretty Boy
  •  Ferrari
  •  Au/Ra
  •  Say My Name / Cry Me a River
  •  Stuck with Me
  •  Every Minute
  •  Chip Chrome
  •  Livin’ in a Dream
  •  BooHoo
  •  Flawless
  •  Ye Interlude
  •  Givin N’ Takin
  •  Highding
  •  Pretty Boy (Radio 1 Rescores: Drive)
  •  West Coast (Original Version)
  •  Silver Eyes
  •  I Love You. (Teaser)
  •  Baby Came Home 2 / Valentines
  •  Beautiful Oblivion
  •  Everybody’s Watching Me (Uh Oh)
  •  Adi Medici
  •  The Shining
  •  Sadderdaze
  •  Let It Go
  •  ​warm
  •  Afraid (4e Remix)
  •  Doorway
  •  Dust
  •  Phone Call Interlude
  •   Heaven
  •  Silver Lining
  •  Lurk
  •  Flowers
  •  A Little Death
  •  Softcore
  •  Yellow Box
  •  Honest
  •  The Beach
  •  Cry Baby
  •  Jealou$y
  •  Daddy Issues (Remix)
  •  T$RL
  •  Leaving Tonight
  •  Lighter Fluid
  •  You Get Me So High
  •  *NSTYNCT
  •  $TING
  •  Cherry Flavoured
  •  93 ’Til
  •  Float
  •  Alleyways
  •  West Coast
  •  Staying Up
  •  #icanteven
  •  Reflections
  •  The Califournia 2.0
  •  Devil’s Advocate
  •  Beat Take 1
  •  Blue
  •  Dangerous
  •  No Grey
  •  Shannon (Radio 1 Rescores: Drive)
  •  Tobacco Sunburst
  •  Female Robbery
  •  Sweater Weather (Young Saab Remix)
  •  Sweater Weather (James Lavelle Remix)
  •  How
  •  Crazy (Cover)
  •  Lovelife
  •  Daddy Issues
  •  Over the Influence
  •  Scary Love
  •  OG Maco
  •  Party On The Weekend
  •  24/7
  •  Lost in Translation
  •  Afraid
  •  A Moment of Silence
  •  Greetings from Califournia
  •  W.D.Y.W.F.M.?
  •  Hell or High Water
  •  Wiped Out!

Overall, the word daddy issues means an attachment complex that is formed when women do not have a strong father figure in their lives when they were young which informs their adult relationships. 

Sources:

  1. The Neighbourhood – Daddy Issues Lyrics | Genius 
  2. What Exactly Are ‘Daddy Issues’? 12 Things to Consider | Healthline 
  3. The Neighbourhood Lyrics, Songs, and Albums | Genius