Link – The Stigma of Family Estrangement

ByMikeM Reading Time: 1 minute

“When researchers asked what did provide comfort to someone who was estranged from a close family member, people said “having someone listen” to them, “being seen as normal,” having someone telling them that they were “an okay person,” and hearing that others had similar experiences all eased the pains. But the strong underlying message is that the complexity of parents and their adult children deserves greater prominence.”

This article isn’t specifically about child abuse, but I know a lot of survivors are facing this reality. They are estranged from their family, and that is difficult, even when it’s clearly the right thing to do. It can be the healthiest thing for you, but doesn’t mean you don’t get to mourn what you don’t have within your family. Not having a family to spend the holidays with, or share childhood memories with, sucks. Nothing can replace that, but we can certainly find our own group of supporters who can become our “family”.

The Stigma of Family Estrangement

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