Building a harmonious family may be a new idea to people who have grown up with substance-using parents or siblings or grandparents. As Tolstoy once said, “Happy families are all alike, but every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”
If you come from an unhappy family, you may not even know it. Is everyone in your family happy? How do you know? It’s a real question because many families operate on a dictatorial basis in which one person rules the roost and no one dares to defy him (or her). It may be mom or dad, but the bully in your family may be a pushy sibling. A grandparent may be the family dictator of right and wrong from afar, but whoever it is doesn’t care about other people’s happiness.
What dysfunction feels like
Unhappy means you don’t have a voice. No one listens to you. You may be hurt and abused in a hundred devastating ways. Your life may be a rollercoaster of unpredictability. You don’t have choices or privacy. Does this sound familiar to you? If your family of origin doesn’t bring you joy or support you, there are solutions.
Building a harmonious family means breaking the cycle
To be the shining star, you can become aware of hurtful patterns and begin healing from them. Here is the way you can become aware of how to build a harmonious and supportive family. Characteristics of healthy families
