5 Ways To Overcome The Effects Of Dysfunctional Families

He was like an adult in a child’s body. He started working when he was a teenager, provided for the family, and took care of his family members. His parents were never available for him emotionally. He never really enjoyed his childhood.

Imagine the mental condition of a child brought up in such an environment. When problems such as parental negligence, rigidity, alcoholism or abuse exist in the family, the smooth functioning of the family is disturbed, leading to constant conflicts, fights, arguments, and tension.

This Momjunction post tells you what a dysfunctional family is, types and signs of a dysfunctional family, effects of such family on children, and how to overcome the problems.

A dysfunctional family (DF) is one where the normal healthy functioning of the family is impeded through negative behavior such as abuse, apathy, neglect, or lack of emotional support.

In DF, the relationship between the parent and child is tensed and unnatural; parents constantly neglect or abuse the child and the other family members accommodate such behavior. In some cases, children end up with low self-esteem and grow up with the belief that such behavior is normal.

It might seem challenging to overcome the effects of dysfunctional families, but it’s not impossible. All it takes is some effort and a lot of patience. Here is what you can do:

* Get help:

The most common thing to happen in dysfunctional families is that the children start questioning their abilities and intuitions. They grow up with low levels of confidence and poor emotional health. A helping hand from friends or professional counselors can provide you some support.

* Express yourself:

Share your feelings with family members, who are nice to you. Talk to the others in the family, share your thoughts and know theirs. Discuss with them how you can make amends to your relationship.

* Be responsible:

Learn to be responsible for your family dynamic. Understand your role in it, and know what expectations the other members have of you. Before trying to change the others in the family, make an effort to change yourself and turn proactive.

* Trust others:

When you grow up in an environment where your parents don’t trust each other, it becomes difficult for you to trust others. You need to make an effort to build trust with your genuine friends and relatives. However, you don’t have to follow anyone blindly. Once you start believing people and strike a balance between blind trust and utter distrust, you’ll find peace.

* Mend your relationships with the family:

It’s not easy to change others in a dysfunctional family, but you can surely change yourself. You can motivate others to follow your footsteps. Things might just turn around. Do not indulge in unnecessary arguments with family.

Dysfunctional families are emotionally unstable, and thereby affect everyone at home, mostly children. If you want to establish a stronger bond of love, trust, and honesty in your family, take up responsibility, make the first moves, and be ready to face hardships. When others see your efforts, they might support you in your endeavors.