'The Blind Side' subject Michael Oher is suing the Tuohy family. Many know the pain of family wounds.

Former NFL star Michael Oher has sued the family that took him in, alleging they never legally adopted him and only sought to profit at his expense.

The legal fallout from his petition, filed in Tennessee court Monday, is still ongoing; however, many know the pain of getting betrayed, disowned or otherwise hurt by their so-called family − and mental health experts say these wounds can run deep.

“Research suggests that the same parts of the brain that process physical pain also process emotional pain, so being cut off or isolated or betrayed or rejected or disowned by your family physically hurts,” Chelsey Cole, a psychotherapist and author, previously told USA TODAY, adding that isolation and loneliness brought on by family estrangement can put people at higher risk of anxiety, depression, heart disease and cognitive decline.

The wounds of family pain run deep

Taken in by Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy while experiencing poverty and navigating the foster care system, Oher became a first-round draft pick after attending the Tuohys alma mater, Ole Miss. His life story was made into the 2009 blockbuster movie “The Blind Side” after the 2006 Michael Lewis book of the same name.

In his petition Monday, Oher alleged the Tuohy family deceived him of his legal family status and exploited his life for financial gain. He requested they stop using his name and likeness in addition to back pay for any money he may be owed.

He also said he discovered he was never legally adopted six months ago and called the situation “painful.”

More:‘The Blind Side’ subject Michael Oher’s blockbuster lawsuit against Tuohy family explained

Therapist Gregorio Lozano III previously told USA TODAY the pain brought on by family wounds is a primal one, originating from humanity’s earliest ancestors.

“When we experienced a rejection from the tribe, that meant a life or death situation,” he said. “Now, we don’t have that aspect, but we still have the emotional trauma that can result from that.”

For many, family is also a core part of one’s identity. When someone is hurt by a family member or kept from having a relationship with their family, it can undermine their sense of self and self-worth.

“A lot of our identity is tied up into our family: ‘Who are my parents? What kind of family do I come from? What do we believe?’ ” Cole said. “When there is this discord or disconnection or fracture in the family, it affects people to their core.”

Rejection by one’s family can also lead someone to question if something is “fundamentally wrong with them,” Cole added, a self-doubt that can impact the other relationships that person has throughout their life.

“You just never feel like you fit in. You don’t know where you belong,” she said. “You’re constantly wondering, ‘Is this relationship OK?’ You’re constantly taking the emotional temperature of the relationship.”

More:Michael Oher alleges ‘Blind Side’ family deceived him into conservatorship for financial gain

My family hurt me. What should I do?

If you’re struggling with a family fracture or pain as the result of family, therapists offer the following advice:

Seek therapy: Family fractures can bring on all kinds of mental health concerns that are best treated by professionals.
Feel your feelings: Allowing yourself to acknowledge a feeling can be healthier than repressing it, Lozano said. “It’s more of what we do with those feelings that matters.”
Build an identity outside your family: Finding passions, hobbies, community and values outside of family can help build self-worth and self-efficacy, Cole said.
Reflect on how your family fracture may be affecting your other relationships: It’s important to take stock of how feelings brought on by a fractured familial relationship may be impacting your other relationships, psychiatrist Dr. Dion Metzger previously told USA TODAY. “When there’s an issue within our family and we feel estranged, it does affect how we approach our relationships, our romantic relationships and our friendships,” she said.
Find healthy relationships: For people with fractured families, Cole stressed the importance of “finding other healthy relationships where you do feel seen or you feel appreciated and supported and connected.”