Every functional family has issues, but toxic families operate within a rigid system. To maintain the illusion of normalcy, dysfunctional families often project their chaos onto one specific person: the scapegoat. This individual serves as the emotional trash can for the group’s collective problems.
If you have always felt like the “black sheep,” the “problem child,” or the “crazy one,” you might be the victim of family scapegoating. It is a painful, confusing role that severely damages your self-esteem and perception of reality. Recognizing the signs is the first step to handing back the shame that belongs to them, not you. Here are seven signs you are being scapegoated.
