Such situations often lead people to depression and unresolved emotional traumas. Punishing and abusing kids or blocking out their opinions can affect their mental health severely and render them unable to express their feelings in proper ways. Such an environment invalidate their needs, and they eventually grow up to be immature adults, or individuals with low self-esteem. Also, such families often experience chaos, anxiety, and violence. In this article, we will delve deeper into the topic of family that seems incapable of maintaining a peaceful environment. This elaborate discussion will help you analyze the situation better and how to handle it. Swipe up for more details. No parent is perfect, but there are bad parents – not the ones who scold you, but those who are abusive, toxic, shaming others, punishing, and brushing off responsibility. Unfortunately, such families affect the child more than the people involved. The child in a dysfunctional family might feel neglected, experience abuse, and have low self-worth and other psychological disturbances, depending on the gravity of the situation. They may even have an inferiority complex and difficult relationships as adults. The signs of dysfunctionality can be seen through different aspects of a person’s life. They range from how a person communicates with others to how their parents or guardians behaved with them in childhood. Here are the signs that you grew up as a part of a dysfunctional family.
Signs You Had A Dysfunctional Family
You are a people-pleaser You have become a perfectionist due to a fear of failure and punishment You constantly feel guilty, obliged, and answerable You lack proper communication skills You feel responsible for others You are hard on yourself Anxiety, hopelessness, or anguish trouble you most of the times You prefer seclusion or isolation, even with a companion You have trust issues You are always dissatisfied due to a lack of appreciation for your efforts There is sibling rivalry You faced favoritism by a parent based on your gender, color, and area of interest Your parents or guardians had different private and public personas You lack healthy boundaries and privacy You deprive yourself of food as a punishment or overeat You or your parents abuse drugs, alcohol, or other substances Your parents threatened to abandon you You were punished for talking, replying, voicing thoughts, or pursuing hobbies You were not allowed to experience childhood, treated like an adult
A child that grows up in a dysfunctional family may feel secluded, keep to themselves, and struggle to socialize. Dysfunctional family environments can cause a child to develop unhealthy coping mechanisms. They may not trust others easily and have trouble forming intimate relationships. Here are some common traits that show up as long-lasting effects of growing up in a dysfunctional family.
What Happens When You Grow Up In A Dysfunctional Family?
Social isolation or loneliness Behavioral or personality disorders Bad or low self-image Extremely self-critical Low self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-worth Anxiety or depression May exhibit self-harming tendencies Difficulty expressing thoughts and feelings Poor academic performance Difficulty concentrating and focusing on one task Prone to substance abuse Difficulty establishing healthy adult relationships Easily and frequently getting angry Lack of child-like innocence (too mature for their age) Lack a role model and discipline
There are different kinds of dysfunctional families based on the root causes and parental behaviors. Sometimes, there can be a combination of more than two types of dysfunctional families at the same time.
Types Of Dysfunctional Families
There are various reasons for a family to become unhealthy, toxic, and dysfunctional. Scroll down to find out the root causes that lead to fights and disharmony in the family.
What Are The Reasons For Dysfunctionality In Family?
The steps mentioned in our following section are a guide to help you deal with a dysfunctional family and not set in concrete. Consider the points that might help you, improvise on others, and go through what seems to best suit you.
How To Deal With A Dysfunctional Family
Does everyone have a dysfunctional family? No, not everyone has a dysfunctional family. It is important to understand the subtle signs and work on them to improve the dynamics within your family. What are the unspoken rules of a dysfunctional family? Rigidity, silence, isolation, denial, and punishments are some of the unspoken rules of a dysfunctional family.
