Facts about Adult Children Of Alcoholics
Adult Children Of Alcoholics (ACOAs)
Who are they?
• 
Only
40% of children from alcoholic families believe they are from alcoholic
families.
• They are aware of the
hurt, but don’t connect it to the alcoholism.
• They may have co-dependent
tendencies.
• They may not understand
the impact of family alcoholism.
• They are skilled at
hiding, denying their pain.
• They continue to do
what they learned to do as children; to survive.
How do you know if someone is an ACOA?
Cringe
when they hear parents’ car.
Get within
three blocks of home and their stomach goes into knots.
Stay away
from home as much as possible.
Dread family
dinners.
Are cautious
about having friends over to the house.
Are afraid
to leave others with the alcoholic.
Start using
alcohol or drugs themselves.
Are depressed
or angry more than in the past.
Think about
the user a lot.
Start “walking
on egg shells” at home.
Feel crazy
because something is wrong and no on else seems to notice.
ACOAs have these major problems
They
are at high risk for addiction themselves
They are
at high risk for dysfunctional relationships (care taking
or abuse).
They have
difficulty identifying and/or expressing feelings.
They may
have trance behavior (there, but not there).
They have
a shame-based personality (no sense of self, no identity).
They have
higher than normal incidence of physical illness.
Recovery
is POSSIBLE. You’re not alone. The fault is not yours.