Adult Children of Alcoholics: Healing From Childhood Addiction Trauma
It is important to remember that addiction is a disease, and not only that but also that it is a “family disease.” This means that it doesn’t just affect the individual but instead everyone in that individual’s orbit. While this can stand true for immediate and distant family members, this is especially true for the child of an alcoholic.
Better Understanding Alcohol Use Disorder
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) affects millions of people in the U.S. and around the world. In fact, alcohol is the most widely used addictive substance in the world. Many people have a hard time understanding this because alcohol is legal. However, just because it is legal does not mean it is less dangerous.
In fact, because alcohol is legal, many people fall into the trap of overusing it. Many people may use alcohol to relax or socialize, while others may use it as a coping mechanism for dealing with other issues. Either way, unmanaged alcohol use can ultimately lead to alcohol addiction.
AUD also has many negative signs and symptoms. The following are just a few:
- Isolating away from family and friends
- Losing interest in activities once enjoyed
- Having physical problems like excessive headaches (often hangovers) and gastrointestinal issues
- Feeling overly anxious, nervous, or stressed out
- Having feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, and uselessness (depression)
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when not using alcohol
- Having co-occurring mental health issues
- Having trouble at school or work
- Feeling suicidal
Alcohol Use Disorder as a Family Disease
As previously mentioned, AUD is a family disease. Oftentimes, family members are among the first victims of a loved one’s alcohol addiction. This is because what one member of the family does affects every other member; a phenomenon referred to as the “family systems theory.” Also because addiction is a family disease, there needs to be a “family solution.”
This family solution often includes getting the entire family into therapy. Therapy can be valuable because each family member needs a safe space to express how they have been affected by addiction and what they are currently feeling. This can be especially true for children of alcoholics and an adult child of an alcoholic.
Being an Adult Child of an Alcoholic
An adult child of an alcoholic often struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This is because they often experience emotional trauma when they are younger and see a parent being affected by addiction.
Being an adult child of an alcoholic does not necessarily mean that the parent is in recovery, either. Many adult children of alcoholics still worry about their parents drinking and being affected by their disease.
Many challenging dynamics may remain that cause difficulty for an adult child of an alcoholic to best navigate. Unfortunately, parents often use the parent/child power dynamic against their children when it comes to getting help. This is when an adult child of an alcoholic needs to set boundaries and stick to them. Sadly, this may include keeping one’s distance from a parent who refuses to get the help that they need.
Recovering as an Adult Child of an Alcoholic
Despite these challenges, there are many effective means, methods, and modalities to recover as an adult child of an alcoholic. This includes utilizing psychotherapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), but it also includes getting involved in 12-Step recovery.
Of course, this does not mean joining a 12-Step community for individuals struggling with addiction as an adult child of an alcoholic (unless they too struggle with AUD). Rather, it means connecting with a 12-Step community that focuses on helping families who struggle with a loved one’s addiction. There are many communities like this, but perhaps the most well-known is Al-Anon. There are also 12-Step groups that focus specifically on helping teens with family members who have addictions called Alateen.
Many holistic healing methods can also help adult children of alcoholics recover. One of the most helpful is yoga therapy. Yoga therapy helps an individual find a sense of balance and serenity in their lives. It can also offer physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual benefits. Meditation is also often a part of yoga and can help when “triggering” times arise for adult children of alcoholics.
Helping Families Heal at The Phoenix Recovery Center
Here at The Phoenix Recovery Center, we believe in helping the whole family recover. This is why we offer many modalities that can help the family come together and heal.
We believe in the Phoenix Difference, which is “Empowering individuals and families suffering from addiction and mental health disorders, to celebrate life through lasting solutions.” Recovery is a journey, and it is one best taken with those we love. At The Phoenix Recovery Center, we have been helping make those journeys successful for over a decade.
Adult children of alcoholics who also struggle with addiction themselves often have the hurdle of family issues to get past when it comes to their recovery. The good news is that there are many ways for an adult child of an alcoholic to recover from the trauma of their youth and from an addiction if should happen to manifest. If you feel like you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, mental illness, or co-occurring disorders, we can help get you on the right road to recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this alone. For more information about recovering as an adult child of an alcoholic, reach out to The Phoenix Recovery Center at (801) 438-3185.
