Photo of Drew Wood

Improve your understanding of divorce-related parental alienation

On Behalf of | Oct 31, 2022 | Divorce |

Nothing is quite as devastating as your child or children turning against you through alienation tactics on the part of a co-parent. The pain of parental alienation eclipses mostly anything a person ever experiences.

Unfortunately, this silent epidemic has affected some 20 million American parents. If you suspect co-parent alienation or want to learn why your kids seem to have turned against you, it is time to familiarize yourself with parental alienation.

More about this harmful syndrome

The phenomenon involves a child aligning with one parent while rejecting the other, often during high-conflict child custody and divorce matters. It is not a natural occurrence when parents purposely alienate children from the other parent. It can happen in intact families, as well.

Alienation harms parents, but the real victims are children. Essentially, a co-parent brainwashes a child into believing that the other parent is undeserving of their love. In other words, it is a form of psychological abuse against children that could continue affecting them (and you) for a lifetime.

3 more parental alienation (PA) facts:

  1. In children, PA can lead to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), psychosocial problems, anxiety, substance abuse and suicidal tendencies
  2. In victimized parents, PA may cause similar problems, including anxiety, PTSD symptoms, depression and suicidal thoughts
  3. According to estimates, nearly 4 million American children suffer from moderate to severe PA

Stay alert to any signs that your children are suffering psychologically during your child custody and divorce proceedings. If you suspect parental alienation, gather evidence and seek a diagnosis for your child from a mental health or medical professional.

With evidence and knowledge of California family law, you have better odds of securing a child custody and visitation plan that keeps your child safe from psychological harm.