Attorneys: A History of Helpfulness

Because of the incorporation of the word alien within the phrase "parental alienation syndrome," you may find yourself conjuring up images of scary or otherworldly beings. In reality, that definition may not be as far from the truth as it may seem. After a messy divorce, one parent may use various methods to essentially brainwash their child, causing the disorder known as parental alienation syndrome. By impacting the child's view of the opposing parent negatively on an ongoing basis, the offending parent can cause the child to experience distrust, anger, and even fear.

This kind of brainwashing by a vengeful ex-spouse is extremely psychologically damaging, and if you suspect it's happening, you should contact a lawyer immediately:

Creating a Disorder

There are many different ways that an ex-spouse can be trying to alienate your child from you, and all of them have long term psychological side effects that can reach into adulthood:

• Trying to coax the child to stay with them (using physical or emotional reinforcements) when they are supposed to spend a period of time with you
• Attempting to convince the child that they are in financial, emotional, or physical difficulty strictly because of your presence in their life
• Encouraging or prodding the child to get angry with you
• Trying to make them feel bad by giving them unnecessary details about the divorce or settlement
• Encouraging the child to ignore and break rules that you've set

As the child sees you as more and more as a bad rather than good presence in their life, the child begins to resent any time spent with you-- and may even begin to fear it.

Confronting the Conflict

Since parental alienation is considered by many to be a form of child abuse due to the psychological damage it can create, it's important to confront the problem legally as soon as it becomes evident to you.

Addressing the issue quickly is the key to successfully avoiding a larger problem down the road. Instead of yelling at the offending parent and adding further fuel to their fire, simply contact your attorney who can help you to address the issue in a way that will be helpful: in a court of law.

By taking a look at the details of what you've discovered, a judge may want to revisit the specifics of your custody agreement. If the well-being of a child is in jeopardy and the evidence is clear, the court will quickly rush to support you. Have more questions? Contact a company like Dukeshire Law Office to learn more.