Toxic Parents: Overcoming Their Hurtful Legacy and Reclaiming Your Life

by Susan Forward

Paperback, 1990

Status

Available

Collection

Psychology

Genres

Publication

Bantam (1990), 336 pages

Description

When you were a child...-Did your parents tell you you were bad or worthless?-Did your parents use physical pain to discipline you?-Did you have to take care of your parents because of their problems?-Were you often frightened of your parents?-Did your parents do anything to you that had to be kept secret?Now that you're an adult...-Do your parents still treat you as if you were a child?-Do you have intense emotional or physical reactions after spending time with your parents?-Do your parents control you with threats or guilt? Do they manipulate you with money?-Do you feel that no matter what you do, it's never good enough for your parents?In this remarkable self-help guide, Dr. Susan Forward draws on case histories and the real-life voices of adult children of toxic parents to help you free yourself from the frustrating patterns of your relationship with your parents-and discover a new world of self-confidence, inner strength, and emotional independence.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member BookAngel_a

Wow. I devoured this book. I found it riveting, fascinating, absorbing - I couldn't put it down. I am intrigued by books that help me understand how people work. Why does my friend have these emotional issues? How has a troubled relationship with her father affected the rest of her life? This book

does an amazing job of explaining the psychology of those questions. Plus, it was an enjoyable read. Usually books like this have a tendency to go over the head of the average person. But this was written in an easy writing style. I laughed and cried with the people who were featured as cases.

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LibraryThing member KatherineMayfield

This book was very helpful. As I read it, I began to understand that I wasn't defective and unlovable -- I only believed that because of how my parents treated me. A must-read for anyone who has a dysfunctional family.

LibraryThing member Crowyhead

I read this, not because my own parents are toxic, but to get a better idea of what several people I love are going through in their own lives. It was definitely helpful in that regard, and I would not hesitate to recommend this to someone I knew well who was having problems with their parents.

LibraryThing member sadiebooks

i actually never read this. a good friend owned it and it was assimilated into my collection and i thought it was hilarious that he owned it.

LibraryThing member GlennBell

The author is a counselor who treats victims of parental abuse and incest. The case studies are instructive and her advice is helpful. I am concerned with the potential negative impact of confrontation with abusive parents. Maybe the pain is worth it in the end. For the present, it is sufficient

for me to acknowledge and recall the toxic environment of my childhood. It is helpful to understand one's self and how childhood experiences have impacted adult behavior. I recommend this book to anyone who had toxic parents.

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LibraryThing member kslade

Interesting about bad influence of some parents.

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