The overlooked impact on family dynamics of having a zombie relative November 2, 2011

Another typical response to having a family member who has become part of the zombie apocalypse would be what Emotionally Focused Therapists call the negative cycle of interaction:

It’s not hard to see how this pattern might play out in a family with a zombie member.  Relentlessly pursued by someone with an insatiable hunger for flesh, unaffected family members may go well beyond harsh words and slammed doors as defense mechanisms, resorting to such extremes as chainsaws, barricades of broken furniture, and even flamethrowers to hold their loved one at a safe distance. But of course the more you withdraw, the more they will pursue!  That’s what makes the cycle so difficult to escape.

The Family Therapist’s Guide to Having a Zombie In Your Family.