Addiction Recovery Basics

Adult children of alcoholics, (ACOA),  can often be identified as certain signs and symptoms. These clusters of traits often dictate somewhat unique potential problems in addiction recovery.

Janet Geringer Woitiz, Ed.D, is a pioneer in family systems therapy and is help to define the field of adult children of alcoholics. In her book Adult Children Of Alcoholics,pg.xxvi - xxvii, she identifies these signs and symptoms:

1. Adult children of alcoholics guess at what normal behavior is.

2. ACOA’s have difficulty following a project through from beginning until end.

3. Adult children lie what it would be just as easy to tell the truth.

4. Adult children of alcoholics judge themselves without mercy.

5. They often have difficulty having fun.

6. Adult children of alcoholics take themselves very seriously.

7. Adult children of alcoholics have difficulty with intimate relationships.

8. An ACOA often overreacts to changes over which they have no control.

9. Adult children constantly seek approval and affirmations.

10. Adult children of alcoholics usually feel they are different from other people.

11. Adult children of alcoholics are either super responsible or super irresponsible.

12. Adult children of alcoholics are extremely loyal, even in the face of evidence that the loyalty is undeserved.

13.Adult children of alcoholics are impulsive. They tend to lock themselves into a course of action without giving serious consideration to alternative behaviors or possible consequences. This impulsivity leads to confusion, self loathing or loss of control over their environment. In addition, they spend an excessive amount of energy cleaning up the mess.

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