Do the children of mentally ill people often take on the symptoms of their paren!
Question:
Do the children of mentally ill people often take on the symptoms of their parents?
Many years ago I knew a woman who had paranoid schizophrenia who was very belligerent and had a tendency to harass, slander, and make obscene gestures towards those she deemed her enemies. One of her sons doesn't seem to be as mentally unbalanced as his mother, but he also tends to harass, slander, and make obscene gestures towards his enemies. Is it possible that her son took these characteristics from his mother, even if he isn't a schizophrenic himself?
Answers:
He may have learned the behavior from her. He ay also have some type of disorder himself even if it has never been diagnosed. He probably needs to talk to a counselor who can teach him why he acts out this way and how he can change his behavior. There are a lot of bad psychologists and psychiatrists out there so if the first one doesn't help he should not hesitate to try another one.