Adult Children Secrets of Dysfunctional Families: The Secrets of Dysfunctional Families

Illuminating and frightening. We all have baggage and until we find a place to safely store it, those closest to us are also burdened with it. The ideas in this book promote taking responsibility for our actions, looking into the motivations of those actions, and examining the source of our attitudes without placing blame on anyone. It's a great book about growing up to be healthy and facing one's demons without guilt. It's a relief to read this material and know that it's OK to feel a certain way, and even better to feel that healthy change is possible.

This incredible book leads those of us in recovery from dysfunction to attempting normalcy. It is written specifically for those who have no idea what normalcy is. Our parents, who loved us, unknowly led us into a life that is lived without the skills to develop intimacy that is necessary for our closest relationships. The Friels explain our losses without blaming anyone and give concrete ways to help adult children recover their true selves.It explains how some of the most severe comditions of mental illness can be related to our dysfuncional families. Most of all it gives us hope for the future and for developing loving relationships.

This book appears at first to deal just with additctions. Further reading proves this book to be excellent reference for any individual suffering from depression, anxiety, childhood trauma and different kinds of abuse suffered during childhood. It explains how being an addict, depressed, anxious etc...are only symptoms of a dysfunctional family system. It will become easier to understand while reading this book why we are the way that we are. It offers comfort, insight, and the how to change if we so choose to. To me this book is the Bible that unlocks the secrets of the symptoms to my sometimes very difficult life.

John and Linda Friel not only discuss dysfunctional families, but more importantly, they teach the secrets of functional families! This is a first. The reading is easy for all levels and ages. Even my sixteen year old daughter said that it was very interesting for "one of those kind of books". This book provides a plan to be implemented over time. The authors really speak to the heart. It has given me effective words and language to use in situations that I would not have had previously. I will use Adult Children as a reference for quite some time.

Having read several books on the adult child isssue, I found this book to be the most straight forward and specific that I had read. This book explains the origins of the adult child, the process that can lead to addiction, and the personal work necessary to get to the root of the problem. While many books explain the symptoms and the cause of codependency, I found this book to also address what needs to been done to enter recovery. All this is accomplished is a very practical and easily read manner.