As they say, there’s no hate like Christian love!

I was the child of fundamentalist Evangelicals. The level of ignorance my parents had was truly monstrous, and the worst part is they considered (and still do) themselves to be beyond reproach. Their approach to parenting was to “break my will”, and there was plenty of violent whipping at the slightest sign of me showing any sort of personality. When I struggled and began to develop symptoms of OCD and anxiety, I was whipped for that too. It turned into a downward spiral of abuse. To this day, my parents raise their noses and scoff at the concept of “therapy”. I detest their sacrosanct attitudes, and I weep for the parents I never had.

As if the mark of a good human was their pristine language! I’ve noticed that people who are impeccably clean-spoken can be overbearingly legalistic, perfectionistic, and controlling with their children. Glad you didn’t experience that.

I recommend looking into Bowen Family Systems Theory as an alternative framework for understanding CEN.

Hi Kait, there certainly is a shortage of therapists who truly understand the experience of the child of a sociopathic parent. Any therapist who has not met a sociopath or had one in their lives will likely, through no fault of their own, have difficulty understanding what the adult child of a sociopathic is up against. This is why one of the parent types I describe in my book Running on Empty is the sociopathic parent. It’s important for these adult children to have resources and awareness increased.

It is vert pertinent to note the following:
As a psychologist unfortunatley like many others there is often found very little if any experience in treating the adult child or children of the Susan Smiths or the (surviving) Diane Downs of this world; in other words nothing in your article unfortunately can be sufficient nor can it adequately address the unique concerns of Adult children of psychopathic parents. Its an entirely unique and hellish type of neglect, it can be very purposeful and intentional damages as well as neglect of the child. IF that child happened to be targeted. Often times there is one and the other is in some state of shock and possible enabling. But then again those who degreed you following your postgraduate studies also have little to zero understanding of the impact of a pychopathic mother on a child as she or he grows into adulthood. It is almost like its a whole other galaxy of comprehension. We are hoping to change that going forward in the psychology field.

Hi Lee, it sounds like your parents were lovely. I think you read this post too quickly because it is not actually blaming parents for everything.

I think your not appreciating chikdren need a punishment.
I was spanked and my friends.
I can tell you im my school the children are foul age 4 and 5 due to disapline. swearing at the teachers and walkung out of class. kicking cuboards.
I love my parents for nakeing me understand rules are for a reason. im so glad I had the parents I had.

I can assure you nothing went wrong. im a care assistant and all the oldies 80s 90s still do as much as they can for themself.they have grace.
I’ve meet their children 50 and 60s and they are close to their mothers and have total respect..

I suggest you are taking your findings from the worst run down communities.
worldwide your numbers would be so low its not worth talking about.