5 Damaging Effects That Children of Alcoholics May Endure

Moderate amounts are very https://ecosoberhouse.com/y, but too much can have devastating effects. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. If your parent with AUD is willing to attend therapy with you, family therapy can often help rebuild trust and pave the way toward healing. Having a parent with AUD doesn’t automatically mean you’ll develop the condition yourself.

• Prior to starting the conversation, you may find it helpful to learn about alcohol use disorder so you can gain an understanding of the biology of addiction.
• At the most severe end of the spectrum, fetal alcohol syndrome can include a constellation of physical defects and symptoms and behavioral issues.
• Children also need to know that their parent’s alcohol addiction is not their fault and that they can’t fix it, but there are safe places and people who can help.
• In addition, increased difficulties in academic and social settings can be the result of this kind of environment.
• Genetics are one of many factors that play a role in the development of alcohol use disorder.

Even those with a higher genetic risk for AUD can often take a harm reduction approach when they learn to better understand their triggers, risk factors, and engagement with substances, Peifer says. Denying feelings of fear, sadness and anger may have been a survival mechanism for you as a child. However, those unresolved feelings can often manifest during adulthood, causing rage, anger and other emotional issues. Many COAs also show the extreme guilt, hopelessness and apathy that are common signs of major depressive disorder. As these children grow into adults, these problems can cause social withdrawal, impulsivity and a chronic sense of insecurity. Confusion – The alcoholic parent will change suddenly from being loving to angry, regardless of the child’s behavior.

Protective Factors

Experts highly recommend working with a therapist, particularly one who specializes in trauma or substance use disorders. According to Peifer, a mental health professional can help you connect deep-rooted fears and wounds stemming from childhood to behaviors, responses, and patterns showing up in your adult life. Making these facts even worse is the likelihood that most children of alcoholics have suffered some form of physical or emotional abuse and neglect. Children of alcoholics will undoubtedly have a wide variety of emotional issues that will need to be addressed but they are in the unfortunate position of not being able to go to their parents for this assistance.

These how alcoholic parents affect their children include resilience, empathy, responsibility, and determination. Children whose parents neglected them during a critical developmental time in their youth might find it challenging to get their emotional needs met as adults. Additionally, a lack of positive foundational relationships can make developing healthy interpersonal relationships more challenging. The term “child of an alcoholic syndrome” describes the unique trauma of individuals who grow up with parents with an alcohol addiction.

Resources for Children of Alcoholics

If you’re an adult child of an alcoholic, help is available for you, too – and it can be every bit as life-changing. Support groups like Al-Anon educate you on addiction, how your parent affecting you, and how you can break free and move forward. You’ll build confidence, learn how to better manage stress, become more assertive, and learn how to really live without putting yourself at risk. Alternatively, some adult children of alcoholics may become so obsessed with being a “perfect adult” that they take themselves much too seriously. Make no mistake, while their lives may appear under control, the constant obsession with perfection can be every bit as damaging. At best, it leaves the individual wholly unable to relax and engage in self-care.