Symptoms
Many adult children feel as though they are suffering from unnoticed symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Their symptoms are triggered by events, people, places, and things that remind them of their hostile childhood.
Flashbacks
Many adult-children will experience flashbacks of traumatic events from their childhood and these can include false memories, triggered through PTSD to deal with situations that they are unable to process as a child, which complicates their sense of their experience. These are often very vivid and can spark feelings of intense anxiety or fear. It is possible for an adult-child to have a PTSD diagnosis after enduring chronic trauma during childhood. This can be distressful for the adult child. The symptoms of PTSD can make it hard to live a normal and healthy life. It is important that the adult-child seeks professional treatment.
Stress
One of the most common symptoms reported by alienated children is stress, which is a result of the unknown future when it comes to their parents or other family members. This lack of information can cause intense feelings of worry and anxiety.
Depression, Anger, Guilt & Shame
It is also common for children to show signs of depression, anger, guilt and shame, which can come from the emotional abuse they experienced from their controlling parent. They often feel that there is something wrong with them or that they are to blame.
Self-Sabotage
It is common for children of divorce to eventually develop a form of self-sabotage that interferes in their personal relationships as adults. This behavior can lead to an early death due to substance abuse or suicide. Hopefully this is not the case in a situation you are involved in.
Is Reconciliation Possible?
Efforts to reconciliation between a parent and an adult child often involve extensive counseling and therapy. This is a slow process that requires time, dedication and determination.
