We avoid conflict because we have a low tolerance for discomfort. Humans tend to avoid discomfort—whether it be physical, ...

When you're part of a dysfunctional family, you may not even realize how it shapes and limits you emotionally. The dynamics, however, can leave a long-lasting impact on your self-esteem, relationships ...

Navigating family dynamics can be a wild ride, especially when dysfunction is part of the scenery. Every family has its quirks and traditions, but some rules seem to linger like unwelcome guests.

Grandma’s china isn’t the only thing that families pass down from generation to generation. Along with heirlooms and tchotchkes, families create and pass down emotional legacies. Grandparents and ...

Dear Eric: My family moved out of state to cut ties with my husband’s verbally and emotionally abusive mother. One brother did the same. The last brother engaged in a horrific divorce, succumbed to ...

In the land of movies and TV shows, dysfunctional families are often in the spotlight where their drama is so exaggerated, that it’s impossible not to notice. However, fictional storylines don’t ...

Words carry weight, especially the ones we use with family. Some phrases slip out without much thought during heated ...

Dear Amy: My boyfriend of 10 years (with a few breaks) does not have a close relationship with his parents and really no relationship at all with his two siblings. Little things have happened through ...

This is blamed for most discord among couples, but nobody puts too fine a point on what exactly it means. In this post, you can search for your own special brand of dysfunctional communication pattern ...

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Dysfunctional patterns can come in all forms ...

Children who are raised in a dysfunctional family often do anything they can to survive day-to-day. Some kids align themselves with their parents as a self-protective measure, while others are put in ...