The Universal Symbol for Attachment Based parental alienation.
Green is the color for mental illness. Mental
illness begins as a consequence of early attachment trauma that the “other”
parent experienced. This coalesced into a personality disorder during his
or her developmental ages. Eventually mental illness affects every
member of the family because the disturbed parent’s illness creates a
distorted, frightening, and intensely chaotic environment. In addition, the
disturbed parent knows that their actions would come under scrutiny if anyone
else found out so the family is expected to follow strict rules about “keeping
the elephant in the room.” Over time, each family member become so
emotionally abused and confused that they adjust to the mandates of personality-disordered
parent by responding erratically, inappropriately and in particular
insensitively to each other. These distorted interactions contribute to
emotional instability of the family members.
Divorce is intolerable for personality disordered
parents and they react intensely and abusively. In particular, the
disturbed parent begins to think that the targeted parent is abusive and
becomes obsessed with destroying the relationship between the children and the
other parent. He or she becomes “targeted” for “rejection.” The personality-disordered
parent uses their distorted communication to induce the child to suppress their
attachment and believe that their grief is really anger and hatred for the
targeted parent. In
particular, the disturbed parent begins to think that the targeted parent is
abusive and becomes obsessed with destroying the relationship between the
children and the other parent. He or she becomes “targeted” for
“rejection.” The personality disordered parent uses their distorted
communication to induce the child to suppress their attachment and believe that
their grief is really anger and hatred for the targeted parent.
Purple represents the domestic violence.
Attachment-Based parental alienation is a severe form of intimidate partner
violence in four ways. First the personality disordered
parent creates an environment that conditions the targeted parent not to trust
his or her emotional responses to family experiences (crazy-making).
Second, witnessing the damage to his or her children’s cognitive, emotional,
and behavioral capabilities traumatizes the targeted parent. Third, the
targeted parent loses the loving relationship with their children without
understanding, support or compassion from even those who are closest to them
causing debilitating and unending complex grief. The targeted parent is
traumatized for a fourth time when the disturbed parent exploits a child into
accepting the role of the narcissistic supply and/or is used as the primary
weapon to continue to abuse the targeted parent. As a result of these
long-term, ongoing, traumatic experiences, the targeted parent is at extreme
risk for developing depression, anxiety, and PTSD, among other ailments.
Blue represents child abuse. Attachment-based parental alienation
is severe child maltreatment including emotional abuse and neglect. In addition
to the invalidating environment and witnessing domestic abuse, the child is
directly exploited by the personality disordered parent. He or she
violates generational boundaries, disregards the emotional needs of their child
and manipulates the children’s thoughts and feelings to conform to their
delusions and desires. Furthermore, mentally disturbed parents believe that
it is the child’s responsibility to take care of them and exploit their power
and control by forcing the child to accept the role of the narcissistic object
or supply(role-reversal). All types of child abuse significantly
interfere with the child’s healthy development, leading to lifelong problems in
most domains.
