The National Association for Children of Alcoholics estimates that more than 11 million American children younger than 18 live in homes directly affected by alcoholism. Children raised in homes with alcoholism experience a different reality of life and relationships than children from non-alcoholic homes. The effects upon a child living in this kind of environment are significant.
Mental and Physical Health
According to AllPsych Online, children exposed to chronic alcoholism are prone to feeling helpless, more anxious and experiencing bouts of depression. The National Association for Children of Alcoholics notes that children have lower self-esteem in adolescence and exhibit anxiety symptoms such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, hoarding or phobias. Health care costs for children of alcoholics is 32 percent higher than children from non-alcoholic homes.
Physical health conditions such as gastrointestinal disorders associated with increased anxiety commonly occurs in these children. Alcoholic mothers have an increased risk of exposing the unborn child to alcohol, further leading to complications associated with fetal alcohol syndrome, cognitive disturbances and behavioral difficulties.
Misconceptions of Normal
Children in alcoholic homes define alcoholism by the reality in which they live. The belief is that the parent drinks too much no matter if the quantity of what is used matches the clinical definition of alcoholism. Growing up in a home of altered perception tends to alter the child's view of what normal is, which causes further confusion once the child goes out into the world.
According to Janet Woititz, author of "Adult Children of Alcoholics," children of alcoholics guess at what it means to be normal. For example, a child who views his dysfunctional environment as normal may expect unpredictability from other people, assume that all families act the same and believe that using alcohol is acceptable.
Role Confusion
Children of alcoholics experience role confusion and in some instances take on the responsibility of mediating the family, calming family chaos or causing more chaos as a means to deal with the stress of the family environment. According to the University of Illinois Counseling Center, the child can take on one of four different roles. In the event of several children in the home, each takes on a specific role. The roles include: a hero, an adjuster or a placater and scapegoat. The hero feigns normalcy and overshadows family problems by overachieving in school while the adjuster attempts to remain invisible. The placater attempts to fix family distress and the scapegoat tends to cause more through angry behaviors.
Long-standing Effects
Adult children of alcoholics struggle with seeking constant approval, yet never gaining a sense of acceptance, acting overly responsible or consistently irresponsible and sabotaging possible healthy relationships due to the altered perception of what is normal. The National Association for Children of Alcoholics notes that children and adult children of alcoholics benefit from ongoing support, such as counseling or groups, to learn skills to overcome the deficits created from living in a home of alcoholism.
References
- AllPsych Online: Alcoholism and Its Effect on Family
- National Association for Children of Alcoholics: Children of Alcoholics Important Facts
- University of Illinois Counseling Center: Adult Children of Alcoholics
- Adult Children of Alcoholics World Service Organization, Inc: The Problem
- State University of New York at Buffalo: Adult Children of Alcoholics
