Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACOA) - Kelly V. Karjoo, PsyD, CMNCS, CIMHP

As an Adult Child of an Alcoholic (ACOA) or someone who had a difficult childhood, you may have experienced ongoing trauma that seemed normal at the time. It’s often only after spending time in other households that you realize how differently your family handled things. Unfortunately, the impact of these childhood experiences doesn’t disappear when you leave home; instead, you must learn new ways to interact with others and navigate the world.

 

Growing up in a household where a parent’s focus was on their addiction often results in challenges for the child as they become an adult. These challenges can include difficulty forming healthy relationships, low self-confidence at work, trouble recognizing or meeting your own needs, and struggling to manage emotions like anger and sadness. This is understandable when the proper attention, guidance, and modeling were missing during crucial developmental years.

 

As children of alcoholics or addicts, you likely developed survival skills that helped you endure a difficult childhood. However, as an adult, these same skills can create problems because they were only useful in the context of your traumatic upbringing. Applying these survival strategies in adulthood, where others function differently than your parent, often leads to difficulties.

 

Talking about these experiences can help you understand why you behave or feel a certain way. Dr. Karjoo offers a warm, safe, and open space to explore these lasting issues, helping you move forward and leave the past behind.