Adult Children Of Addicts

Imagine growing up as a child when one of your parents was an alcoholic or drug addict. Growing up, surviving, coping and making it into adulthood without any support or professional help. Growing up and taking the thoughts, feelings and experiences into your adult life. Would you be able to come out of that experience unscathed? What was lacking as children of addicts they lack as adults and this makes adult life for these individuals at times very challenging. Some of them even become substance abusers themselves. Studies show that people with this particular history are twice as susceptible to becoming addicts. While this is by no means an absolute, it is certainly a contribuing factor to a certain portion of the population. A contributing factor that we here at Mark Houston Recovery Have seen many times. And while there is no guarantee that they will recover the first, second or third time they attempt recovery, many will eventually recover. With our help, their dedication and diligence and the support of their family and friends, there is greater chance for them to end the cycle that began a generation ago. A cycle that they can strive to not pass on to their own children.

The Challenges Of Being Adult --  Children Of Addicts

Trying to cope and survive in the toxic environment of an addict  forces children to be silent and to isolate their feelings. As adults they then have problems with self-confidence and relationships. There are many other identifiable factors noticeable in adult children of addicts based on cumulative research. A few of these can be:

• Trying to figure out what would be considered normal  in a social situation
• Being too self-judgmental
• Being  impulsive
• Having problems in intimate relationships
• Overreacting to changes which they can't control
• Always looking for approval and confirmation
• Think they're different
• Being extremely responsible or extremely irresponsible
• Being extremely loyal, also to people who do not deserve it,

It is true that someone could possess these traits and not be the child of an addict, but more than likely it would be revealed that they  do in fact come from that background. Some of the knowledegable staff at Mark Houston Recovery know all too well what it was like to be the child of an addict. It's a challenging path without help. But with help, there is not only hope, there is belief. There is a chance.

Leaving The Past Behind As The Child Of An Addict

There is one thing you can do as adult that you couldn't do as a child. You have resources and support available to you that can guide you along the way. Sometimes being able to connect with the unpleasant memories of that childhood life helps bring understanding to your situation. As you leave the past behind you also realize how you got to where you are -- to where you need to help. Help that you can get from the folks like Mark Houston Recovery, your own family and friends and ultimately yourself. The journey may be a difficult one but the destination is well worth the trip.