" While on the surface it may not seem to make much sense, this strangely common narrative that the scapegoated child/adult child is “mentally ill” is typical in families where aggressive, dominant family members seek to de-power and discredit the victim of their deliberately hostile behaviors. It’s a defensive maneuver designed to establish the “sanity” of the abuser and the “insanity” of their victim. After all, who would believe the report of a “crazy” person? "

― Rebecca C. Mandeville , Rejected, Shamed, and Blamed: Help and Hope for Adults in the Family Scapegoat Role