family estrangement

Commentators are describing family estrangement as an epidemic, arguing that growing numbers of people are cutting off contact with parents, siblings or adult children. The framing has sparked debate about how common estrangement really is, what drives it, and whether it reflects social breakdown or healthier boundaries.

A Wall Street Journal piece examines the growing number of adult children who have cut off contact with their parents, a phenomenon often called family estrangement. The report looks at why more people are going no-contact, the emotional toll on both sides, and how therapists and families are responding to the trend.