Dysfunctional Families Essay
This guide explains how to write an essay on dysfunctional families. It explores the issue of "abnormal" families and presents several strategies to approach the topic.
First, define what "dysfunctional family" means
When examining the "dysfunctional" family, it can be difficult to determine what problems can lead to family problems. It is important to understand some of the many psychological effects that various living situations can cause. When writing an essay on the topic, you must first determine if it is going to be on a specific case, or the topic of serious family issues in general. Another important part of writing the essay is understanding the term "dysfunction" the dictionary defines dysfunction as "a consequence of a social practice or behavior pattern that undermines the stability of a social system." In this case, a family. Within a family it is important to realize that some issues are normal, and that some issues that are more serious, such as drug use or marital problems, can be resolved without causing dysfunction.
Explore the typical causes of intra-family tensions
Within a family it is important to realize that some issues are normal, and that some issues that are more serious, such as drug use or marital problems, can be resolved without causing dysfunction.
As a rule, serious family issues, when not attended to, are what leads to problems for the entire family. One important way to keep a family from suffering from severe issues is to recognize the importance of family time, as well as time apart from each other. The cause of many issues can be traced back to poor communication between members of a family. For example, many cases of teenage drug use can be traced to a lack of activities or an abundance of money. In searching for something to do, a young person may see drugs as something to spend time and money on. By offering more activities, or by ensuring that the teenager be required to work for his or her own money can lead to a much different turn of events.
Present a specific family situation
In researching specific family problems one should keep in mind the circumstances that may have caused these problems, as the causes are not always obvious or immediately apparent. When examining specific family cases, you should try to understand the feelings of each individual, as the ultimate cause of family dysfunction is usually a combination of many problems facing various members of the family. As with any research paper, determining topics is very important, you should create a strong introduction to the issue that entices the reader to dive deeper into the paper to seek more information about the topic. You should then cover some key points, which in this case may be causes for individual issues, signs to look for that point to family issues, or how to resolve these issues.
End the essay with the suggested resolutions of the situation
It is also important to have a real desire to fix the issue before it begins to effect the whole family, as this is what leads to a breakdown between family members.
It is common for a family to attempt to quell problems with medication or some other method of avoidance, which can be very dangerous. Deep psychological discomfort that can lead to family dysfunction should be tended to immediately, and should be treated with discussion and possibly talk therapy. When considering therapy it is important to find a therapist who will not attempt to simplify the problem through simply diagnosing some mental disorder and prescribing medication, as this can create it's own host of problems. It is also important to have a real desire to fix the issue before it begins to effect the whole family, as this is what leads to a breakdown between family members.
Another useful tool in helping older members of the family to cope with problems is group therapy, this can be particularly effective for teenagers as it gives them a chance to experiment with interacting with people differently. Sometimes problems cannot be solved through therapy or simple discussion, but must be instead treated with time apart, or in some cases, such as sever marital issues, permanent separation.
While these solutions may seem extreme, sometimes it is the only way to avoid a hostile living environment. Writing an essay about family dynamics offers the chance to understand the human mind more, which is a valuable opportunity!
