THE FAMILY PORTRAIT
Our particular focus in this series is on dysfunctional families. Here’s a working definition: A dysfunctional family is one in which there has been a major breakdown in the basic relationships within the family so that the family itself no longer functions properly. 5 Symptoms Here are five symptoms of a dysfunctional family: 1. Estrangement,Family members who avoid other family members.2. Anger,It may be expressed or repressed.3. Lack of Trust,Seen in faulty patterns of communication.4. Deception,Inability to speak the truth to other family members.5. Unhealthy Secrecy,Refusal to face the truth.You may find one or more of these traits in healthy families from time to time, but dysfunctional families adopt these traits as a normal pattern of life. It may surprise you to know that, although the word is new, the concept of a dysfunctional family is not new at all. There is no perfect family due to our sin nature.