Brooklyn Beckham Family Drama: After Brooklyn Beckham’s viral posts about his parents, UAE psychologists explain when distancing from family is self-care vs rebellion. Learn about low contact and no contact.
What Happened with Brooklyn Beckham
Last week, Brooklyn Beckham made headlines by posting a series of long messages on Instagram. In these posts, he confirmed what many people had suspected: He was cutting off contact with his parents, David and Victoria Beckham.
Brooklyn’s Accusations
In his posts, Brooklyn made several serious claims about his parents:
They were controlling: Brooklyn said his parents tried to control his life and decisions.
They cared more about their brand: He accused them of putting “brand Beckham” ahead of his happiness and wellbeing.
They tried to destroy his marriage: Brooklyn claimed his parents, especially Victoria, attempted to ruin his relationship with his wife, Nicola Peltz.
His mom hijacked his wedding dance: He accused Victoria of taking over his first dance at his wedding, which should have been with his bride.
These are very personal and hurtful accusations to make publicly about your own parents.
Social Media Reactions
When Brooklyn posted these messages, the internet exploded with reactions. People fell into three main groups:
Group 1 – Team Brooklyn: Some people sided with Brooklyn, saying his posts confirmed what they already believed about controlling celebrity parents.
Group 2 – Team Beckham Parents: Others defended David and Victoria, questioning why Brooklyn needed to air his family’s problems publicly. They asked, “Why post dirty laundry online?”
Group 3 – The Meme Makers: Many people just treated the whole situation as entertainment, posting popcorn emojis and jokes about “rich people problems.”
One tweet summed up this third group’s attitude: “How I love rich family drama.”
Why This Story Matters
Beyond the celebrity gossip, Brooklyn Beckham’s family drama raises important questions that affect regular people too:
- Has social media made it normal to share family problems publicly?
- When is distancing yourself from parents healthy, and when is it just rebellion?
- Should family conflicts be resolved privately or is it okay to seek public support?
UAE experts in psychology have weighed in on these questions, offering insights that apply to all families, not just famous ones.
Why We Care About Celebrity Family Fights
Before we talk about the psychology of family distance, let’s understand why we’re all so interested when celebrities have family drama.
Celebrities Seem Perfect
Dr. Kirin Hilliar, professor in psychology at Heriot-Watt University and psychologist at OpenMinds Centre, explains why people are fascinated by celebrity conflicts.
“For some people, they become fascinated with these developments, because celebrities seem above us all,” Dr. Hilliar says. “And so when they have these kind of conflicts, it humanizes them. They feel, ‘Oh, this is someone who is having a relatable experience, but at an emotionally distant level.'”
In other words, when we see that even rich, famous, seemingly perfect families have problems, it makes celebrities feel more human and relatable.
The “Gotcha” Moment
For others, celebrity family drama provides a different kind of satisfaction.
“They believe, ‘oh these celebrities think they’re so perfect, they’re just as terrible as anybody else,'” Dr. Hilliar explains.
She mentions two concepts that describe this:
Tall Poppy Syndrome: This is an Australian term for when people try to bring down others who are more successful. It’s like cutting down the tallest flower so it’s the same height as all the others.
Crabs in a Bucket: Dr. Hilliar uses this metaphor to explain how people react to others’ success. “When one crab tries to climb out of the bucket, every other crab tries to drag him back in.”
When Brooklyn Beckham has problems with his famous parents, some people feel satisfied because it “proves” that even celebrities aren’t perfect.
More Than Just Entertainment
But beyond the entertainment value and the schadenfreude (enjoying others’ misfortune), there’s something deeper happening.
Many regular people face similar decisions about their relationships with their parents. They wonder:
- Should I distance myself from my parents?
- Is it okay to set boundaries with family?
- Am I being selfish or protecting myself?
Brooklyn’s public struggle, whether we agree with how he handled it or not, reflects a quiet decision that many adult children face without an audience watching.
The difference is that most people make this decision privately, without millions of people commenting on their choice.
Understanding Distance vs Cutting Off Completely
Not all family distance is the same. UAE experts explain that there’s a big difference between healthy distancing and angry cutoffs.
What Healthy Distancing Looks Like
Dr. Sneha John, a clinical psychologist from Dubai, explains when distance is actually self-care.
“Distancing is usually self-care if the child can explain why they need the space without attacking,” Dr. John says. “The distance is not a punishment. It’s intentional.”
When someone is practicing healthy distancing:
- They can explain their reasons: They articulate why they need space without just attacking or blaming
- They express their needs clearly: They say what needs to change in the relationship
- It’s not meant to hurt: The goal isn’t to punish parents but to protect themselves
- Communication remains possible: They’re open to talking about the issues
Think of it like this: Healthy distancing is saying, “I need space because certain behaviors hurt me, and I need to protect my wellbeing while we figure this out.”
What Cutting Off Looks Like
Cutting off completely is very different. Dr. John explains:
“The withdrawal is usually seen as leverage, and there is little tolerance for repair. And even if the family wants to repair it, there isn’t much chance.”
When someone cuts off completely:
- It’s sudden and reactive: The decision comes from anger rather than careful thought
- Emotions are unprocessed: They haven’t worked through their feelings yet
- It’s meant to force an apology: The goal is “You hurt me, and I need you to feel it”
- There’s no room for repair: Even if parents want to fix things, the door is closed
“This distance can either collapse when the emotions cool down, or it can escalate,” Dr. John explains.
In other words, angry cutoffs might be temporary (once everyone calms down) or they might make things even worse.
Breaking Generational Patterns
Dr. Hilliar points out another important reason why some people choose distance from parents.
The decision “challenges the idea that ‘because you’re family, it gives you the right to treat me this way,'” she says.
Many young adults want to break cycles of generational trauma and abuse. They might have experienced:
- Emotional manipulation
- Controlling behavior
- Lack of respect for boundaries
- Verbal or emotional abuse
“In order to protect their mental health, they choose distance,” Dr. Hilliar explains.
When Parents Don’t Listen
A common problem Dr. Hilliar mentions is when children try to communicate their needs, but parents don’t acknowledge them.
“Quite often, parents will claim that this was not communicated by the child, or they do not acknowledge how the child is feeling and that compounds the trauma,” she says.
When children say “Your comments about my partner hurt me” and parents respond with “You’re being too sensitive” or “I never said that,” it makes the problem worse.
This lack of acknowledgment can push someone from wanting healthy distance to feeling they have no choice but to cut off contact completely.
What Low Contact and No Contact Mean
In recent years, two terms have become more common when talking about family relationships: “low contact” and “no contact.”
No Contact Explained
No contact means a complete break from a family member. This includes:
- No phone calls or text messages
- No visits or family gatherings
- No financial support in either direction
- No communication through other family members
- No updates about each other’s lives
It’s a clean break from any type of relationship, whether monetary, emotional, or otherwise.
Low Contact Explained
Low contact means significantly reducing interaction while maintaining minimal connection. This might look like:
- Only seeing parents at public family events (weddings, funerals, major holidays)
- Brief, superficial conversations when you do interact
- Setting strict boundaries about what topics are off-limits
- Limiting visits to a few times a year
- Not sharing personal information about your life
Essentially, people practicing low contact are setting very strict boundaries to protect themselves.
How People Move Between Them
Asra Sarwar, Clinical Psychologist at Aster Clinic, explains that these aren’t just random choices.
“Low contact and no contact describe intentional efforts to manage family relationships when interactions become emotionally overwhelming or persistently distressing,” Sarwar says.
Often, people try low contact first. They set boundaries and hope the relationship can improve. If that doesn’t work, they might move to no contact.
“Rather than acts of rejection or impulsive fallout, these choices are usually made after repeated attempts to understand and repair the relationship,” Sarwar explains.
Not Always Permanent
These arrangements don’t have to be forever.
Sarwar notes they are “often seen as temporary or adaptive ways to protect emotional wellbeing, while individuals work toward clarity, stability, or healthier communication.”
Someone might need a period of no contact to heal, then gradually move to low contact, and eventually rebuild a healthier relationship with their parents.
Or they might realize that for their mental health, they need to maintain distance permanently.
Different Perspectives
Parents and children often see these situations very differently.
As Sarwar explains, “Parents can experience distance as painful or confusing, while young adults often view it as a way to protect their identity and emotional balance.”
Parents might think:
- “My child is abandoning me”
- “I don’t understand what I did wrong”
- “This is disrespectful and hurtful”
Adult children might think:
- “I’m protecting my mental health”
- “I’ve explained my needs many times and they don’t listen”
- “This is necessary for my wellbeing”
“At its core, the shift points to unmet emotional needs on both sides,” Sarwar says.
Both parents and children have needs that aren’t being met, and they’re struggling to communicate about it effectively.
Is Posting Family Drama Online Helpful
Brooklyn Beckham chose to announce his family problems on Instagram. This raises an important question: Does posting family drama on social media actually help, or does it make things worse?
Social Media as a Public Diary
Dr. Hilliar notes, with a laugh, that “social media has effectively become a public diary.”
People share their deepest thoughts, feelings, and conflicts online. They get likes and comments that can feel validating.
“Likes and comments can feel validating, which becomes a problem when validation is the only goal,” Dr. Hilliar explains.
When Is It Genuine, When Is It “Rage Bait”?
There’s a difference between genuinely seeking perspective and just wanting people to agree with you.
“If family conflict is posted as rage bait, it’s disingenuous,” Dr. Hilliar says.
Rage bait means posting something just to make people angry and get attention. If that’s the goal, it’s not helpful for resolving the actual problem.
However, “if someone is genuinely curious about how others might see the situation, the ‘have you thought about it this way?’ responses — it can allow for a degree of cognitive flexibility.”
This means if you’re actually open to hearing different perspectives, social media feedback might help you see the situation in new ways.
The Real Question: What’s the Intent?
“That, however, depends entirely on whether the person posting is actually open to hearing it,” Dr. Hilliar points out.
If you’re not open to other viewpoints, then your intent isn’t reflection or gaining perspective—it’s just seeking confirmation that you’re right.
“And that raises the real question: why post this online at all? What’s the intent?”
Not the First Celebrity Family Drama
Brooklyn Beckham isn’t the first celebrity to air family problems online. We’ve seen:
- Taylor Swift and Kanye West’s public feud
- Harry and Meghan’s documentary about royal family tensions
- Cardi B and Nicki Minaj’s dramatic social media fights
These public conflicts become entertainment for millions of people, but do they actually help the people involved?
Why Social Media “Therapy” Doesn’t Work
Dr. John is clear that posting family conflicts online usually makes things worse, not better.
“Online flare-ups are usually done as avoidance, or as a way of using grievance to sidestep feelings of guilt. It’s not helpful,” Dr. John explains.
She lists several problems with social media venting:
It’s reactive: You’re posting from emotion, not thoughtful reflection It accelerates conflict: Public accusations make people defensive and angry It creates more resentment: Both sides feel worse after public fighting It’s acting out, not working through: You’re expressing anger without actually solving the problem
“The parties aren’t really trying to understand the tools needed for healing,” Dr. John says.
The Problem with “Therapy Speak” Online
Sarwar points out that social media has spread psychology language, which has both good and bad effects.
“The influence of therapy-informed language and social media psychology has played a significant role in shaping these narratives,” Sarwar notes.
Platforms like TikTok and Instagram have made psychological concepts more accessible. More people understand terms like “boundaries,” “gaslighting,” “toxic,” and “narcissist.”
However, “they can also oversimplify complex family dynamics.”
People might watch a 60-second TikTok video and decide their parent is a narcissist, or that they need to go no contact, without understanding the full complexity of their situation.
“This underscores the importance of nuance, cultural sensitivity, and professional guidance when navigating family boundaries,” Sarwar emphasizes.
In other words, getting actual therapy from a qualified professional is very different from watching therapy content on social media.
When Distance Is Self-Care, Not Rebellion
So how do you know if distancing yourself from parents is healthy self-care or just rebellion? UAE experts offer some guidance.
Ask Yourself: Why Do I Want Distance?
Dr. Hilliar mentions a useful process called “reality testing.”
This means questioning your own interpretations: “Is there another way to interpret this behavior?”
For example:
- Your parent makes a comment about your weight
- If you have a tense relationship, you might interpret this as an attack
- If you have a good relationship, you might interpret the same comment as concern
“You might have a tense relationship with your parents, so you would interpret a comment differently, as compared to a person that you might like,” Dr. Hilliar explains.
Before making a big decision about distance, try to reality test your perceptions. Are you seeing the worst in everything because the relationship is already strained?
Can You Explain Your Needs Without Attacking?
Remember Dr. John’s point about healthy distancing: You can explain why you need space without just attacking your parents.
Try this test:
- Can you say what you need in a calm way?
- Can you explain what behaviors hurt you specifically?
- Can you express what would need to change for the relationship to improve?
If you can do this, you’re approaching distance as self-care.
If you can only express anger and accusations, you might need to process your emotions more before making permanent decisions.
Have You Tried to Repair the Relationship?
Sarwar emphasizes that low contact and no contact usually come “after repeated attempts to understand and repair the relationship.”
Before cutting off contact, ask yourself:
- Have I clearly communicated my needs?
- Have I tried to work through conflicts?
- Have I given my parents chances to change?
- Have I sought help (like family therapy)?
If you’ve genuinely tried and nothing changed, distance might be necessary self-care.
If you haven’t really tried to communicate, jumping to no contact might be an impulsive decision you’ll regret.
Are You Protecting Yourself or Punishing Them?
This is a crucial distinction.
Self-care distance: “I need space to protect my mental health and heal” Punishment distance: “I want them to suffer for what they did to me”
Healthy boundaries are about protecting yourself, not about making others hurt.
Consider Cultural Context
Different cultures have different expectations about family relationships. Sarwar mentions “the importance of nuance, cultural sensitivity” when making these decisions.
In some cultures, distancing from parents is seen as a serious betrayal. In others, it’s more accepted. Consider:
- Your cultural background and values
- Extended family relationships
- Community expectations
- Your own values versus cultural pressures
When Professional Help Is Needed
All the experts emphasize the importance of “professional guidance when navigating family boundaries.”
Consider talking to a therapist if:
- You’re unsure whether distance is the right choice
- You’re struggling with guilt about setting boundaries
- You want help communicating your needs to parents
- You’re dealing with past trauma or abuse
- Your mental health is suffering
A qualified therapist can help you work through these complex decisions in ways that social media never can.
Lessons from the Beckham Drama
Whether Brooklyn Beckham made the right choice or not, his public family drama offers lessons for everyone.
Privacy Matters
Some conflicts are better resolved privately. Posting family problems online might feel satisfying in the moment, but it:
- Makes reconciliation harder
- Creates permanent records of hurtful accusations
- Invites millions of strangers to judge your family
- Can damage relationships beyond repair
Boundaries Are Important
You have a right to set boundaries with anyone, including parents. Healthy relationships require:
- Mutual respect
- Clear communication
- Recognition of each person’s needs
- Willingness to change harmful behaviors
Communication Is Key
Before drastic measures like going no contact, try:
- Clearly explaining your needs
- Giving specific examples of hurtful behaviors
- Expressing what needs to change
- Being open to listening to their perspective too
There Are No Perfect Families
Even the Beckhams, with all their money and fame, have family problems. Every family has conflicts and challenges.
The goal isn’t perfection—it’s finding ways to navigate differences with respect and care.
Context Matters
What works for Brooklyn Beckham might not work for you. What works for one family might not work for another. Consider:
- Your specific circumstances
- The severity of the problems
- Your mental health needs
- Cultural factors
- Available support systems
Final Thoughts
The Brooklyn Beckham family drama has captured public attention, but it also highlights important issues that many non-famous people face every day.
Key Takeaways:
- Healthy distancing is intentional and protective, not punitive
- Low contact and no contact are tools for managing overwhelming family relationships
- Posting family conflicts on social media usually makes things worse
- Distance from parents can be self-care when done thoughtfully
- Professional guidance is important for these complex decisions
- Every family situation is unique and requires nuanced understanding
Whether you’re dealing with family conflicts or just watching from the sidelines, remember that behind every public drama are real people with real feelings experiencing real pain.
As Dr. Hilliar noted, nobody truly looks away when celebrity drama unfolds. But perhaps instead of just judging, justifying, or scrolling, we can use these moments to reflect on our own family relationships and how we navigate boundaries, conflict, and love.
If you’re struggling with family relationships, remember that you deserve support. Talk to a qualified therapist who can help you work through these complex emotions and decisions in a safe, confidential setting—not on social media.
Read More : Emirati business mag
Reference By : Gulfnews.com
