Adult Children of Alcoholics

Many women who grew up in alcoholic or otherwise “dysfunctional” families have student growth emotionally and relationally. They are stuck with coping methods that were useful (and necessary) in childhood but are no longer serving them well in adulthood.

These women function well as long as things are going smoothly and they are able to achieve success by external standards. But when it comes to conflict, intimacy, or difficult circumstances – especially in important relationships - things usually don't go so well.

There are common characteristics that "adult children" – people who grew up in dysfunctional homes and are now adults, yet are in some ways stuck in childhood - seem to share. The following characteristics were developed by Dr. Janet G. Woititz, a pioneer in Adult Child psychology.  

Adult Children:

• judge themselves without mercy.
• guess at what normal is.
• have difficulty in completing projects.
• take themselves very seriously.
• have difficulty having fun.
• constantly seek approval and affirmation.
• have difficulty with intimate relationships.
• overreact to changes over which they have no control.
• are either super responsible or super irresponsible.
• feel that they are different from other people.
• are extremely loyal, even in the face of evidence that loyalty is undeserved.

Not all Adult Children have these traits, and not all who have them grew up in alcoholic families. However, if any of these sound familiar, working with a counselor might help.

Life for Adult Children can be difficult, but often they think it's "just them" - they life is this way because they're defective somehow. Adult Children are often more prone to chaotic lives, depression, anxiety, relationship conflict and more if the core issues are not resolved.

Contact me to see if you could benefit from working with a counselor.