Understanding Crazy Making as an Alienating Tactic.

Parental alienation is a distressing issue that affects millions of families worldwide.

This phenomenon occurs when one parent manipulates a child to reject the other parent, leading to emotional pain and lasting psychological consequences.

At its core lies a tactic called "crazy making," which is a form of psychological manipulation that causes individuals to doubt their own feelings, memories, and perceptions.

In this article, we will explore crazy making, its connection to parental alienation, and the gaslighting techniques used by alienating parents to undermine the alienated parent.

If you're an alienated parent and need help with your situation then you should join PAPA today.

At PAPA we have several free to use support spaces, as well as additional resources available to our Plus members, such as courses, PAPA AI, support sessions and 1-2-1 help.

What is Crazy Making?

Crazy making refers to emotional manipulation that leaves individuals feeling confused, anxious, and unsure of their reality.

The manipulator distorts facts, denies events, and twists the truth, leading to the victim questioning their sanity.

For example, if a child mentions a memorable trip with their parent, the alienating parent might dismiss it as a fantasy, leaving the child bewildered.

This tactic is dangerous as it can occur in any type of relationship, including family connections.

The Dynamics of Parental Alienation

Parental alienation commonly arises during or after a divorce, where one parent seeks to harm the bond between the child and the other parent.

This can involve various strategies, such as deceit and emotional abuse.

The alienating parent leverages crazy making behaviours to skew the child’s view, generating confusion and distrust.

The Role of Gaslighting

Gaslighting is a specific and common type of crazy making that involves denying another person's experiences or feelings.

In parental alienation, gaslighting may manifest in several ways:

• Denying Events: The alienating parent may insist that events didn't happen, even if witnesses can confirm them. For example, if the alienated parent attended the child's birthday party, the alienating parent might claim the party never occurred.

  
  

• Twisting Facts: The manipulator may provide a distorted version of reality, portraying the alienated parent as unreliable or dangerous. This can lead the child to question their own memories and trust.

  
  

• Creating Fictional Stories: Alienators may invent tales about the targeted parent, suggesting they are harmful or uncaring. According to research, about 40% of children involved in high-conflict divorces report feeling pressured to choose sides, increasing the emotional turmoil.

  
  

Emotional Abuse and Its Impact

Emotional abuse linked to parental alienation can have serious consequences.

The alienated parent often faces feelings of helplessness and grief as they watch their bond with their child erode.

According to a study by the American Psychological Association, victims of parental alienation demonstrate a 30% increase in depression compared to non-alienated parents.

For children, the consequences can be equally severe.

Many experience confusion, guilt, and anxiety.

They might develop long-term issues, such as depression or difficulty forming healthy relationships in adulthood.

Recognising Crazy Making in Parental Alienation

Identifying crazy making behaviours in parental alienation can be tough for the alienated parent who may feel drained.

Here are key signs to watch for:

• Inconsistent Narratives: If the alienating parent frequently changes their story or provides contradicting information about an event, this may indicate crazy making.

  
  

• Feelings of Doubt: If you find yourself questioning your parenting ability or memories, it may result from manipulation by the alienating parent.

  
  

• Isolation: Often, alienating parents work to cut off the targeted parent from their support system. If you feel distanced from friends or family who once stood by you, this could be a manipulation tactic.

  
  

• Emotional Drain: If conversations with the alienating parent leave you feeling exhausted or confused, it could indicate gaslighting or other manipulations.

  
  

Strategies for Coping with Crazy Making

Coping with the effects of crazy making and parental alienation can be overwhelming, but here are effective strategies to manage these challenges:

• Keep Records: Documenting interactions with the alienating parent can clarify events and may serve as important evidence if legal action is required.

  
  

• Reach Out for Support: Joining a therapy group or connecting with a professional can help process your feelings and gain new insights into the situation.

  
  

• Focus on the Child: Build a stable relationship with your child through open communication, love, and consistency. This approach can offset the alienation and create a nurturing environment.

  
  

• Educate Yourself: Learning about parental alienation and crazy making can empower you to recognise manipulative behaviours and formulate effective responses.

  
  

The Legal Aspects of Parental Alienation

Sometimes, parental alienation demands legal action.

Increasingly, courts recognise how alienation impacts children and may intervene.

If you think you are a victim, consulting with someone at PAPA who specialises in these matters could be vital.

Legal Remedies

Several options may be available through the legal system to address parental alienation:

• Custody Modifications: Courts may change custody arrangements if evidence of alienation is presented, always keeping the child's best interests in mind.

  
  

• Therapeutic Interventions: Courts might require family therapy or counselling to improve communication and address the alienation.

  
  

• Enforcement of Visiting Rights: If the alienating parent is violating court-ordered visitation, it may require legal intervention to uphold these rights.

  
  

Moving Forward

Understanding crazy making within the context of parental alienation is crucial for recognising emotional manipulation in these situations.

Alienating parents frequently use gaslighting methods to distort reality and sever the bond between a child and the targeted parent.

By identifying these behaviours and finding support, affected parents can begin to heal and rebuild their relationships with their children.

If you or someone you know is dealing with parental alienation, seeking help is vital.

Remember, support systems are available.

By understanding the dynamics of crazy making and parental alienation, you can take proactive steps to protect yourself and your child from the harmful effects of emotional manipulation.

In need of help or support?

If you are an alienated parent reading this article and feel you are in need of help and support then please make sure to join PAPA today by signing up here on our website.

This will give you access to our community support forum as well as our Resource Centre, which includes downloadable guides and on-demand courses to help through the process of being alienated and regaining contact with your children.

We also have our Facebook support group that you can join here.

Our Facebook support group has several dedicated chat rooms where you can get immediate support.

If you are a member of PAPA you can also send us a message here on the website and we will try to get back to you as soon as possible but please bear in mind, we have hundreds of messages weekly so it may take us a while to get back to you.

We are currently prioritising PAPA Plus members due to high demand.

Regardless of circumstance you are not alone and at PAPA we are here to support you.

Become a PAPA Ambassador

If you like our resources, articles and support networks and agree with what we stand for then why not get involved and help us push PAPA further by joining our Ambassador Program?

We would love for you to join us and help spread awareness for parental alienation and all of the dynamics involved so that we can continue to help parents and children towards a better future.

Our Ambassador Program allows you to grow your involvement with the cause by earning points on your membership.

To earn points we have created rewards for actions such as completing one of our courses, booking a case review, or ordering supply.

We will be adding new rewards and actions to our Ambassador Program as we continue to grow our awareness efforts.

We want our members to feel rewarded for their support as we continue to look for new ways to improve the lives of those impacted by parental alienation.

You can also become a PAPA Plus member, which will give you exclusive access to even more help and resources.

Each PAPA Plus membership makes a huge difference to the cause as it really helps us to improve our services and our awareness campaigns.

Proceeds from memberships and supply allow us to push the cause much further towards raising awareness and improving our services and resources so that we can continue to help more and more parents and children.

Thank you for reading and for your continued support of PAPA and our mission to end parental alienation.