Janet G. Woititz
Adult Children of Alcoholics
1. Adult children of alcoholics guess at what normal behavior is.
2. Adult children of alcoholics have difficulty following a project through from beginning to end.
3. Adult children of alcoholics lie when it would be just as easy to tell the truth.
4. Adult children of alcoholics judge themselves without mercy.
5. Adult children of alcoholics have difficulty having fun.
6. Adult children of alcoholics take themselves very seriously.
7. Adult children of alcoholics have difficulty with intimate relationships.
8. Adult children of alcoholics overreact to changes over which they have no control.
9. Adult children of alcoholics constantly seek approval and affirmation.
10. Adult children of alcoholics usually feel that they are different from other people.
11. Adult children of alcoholics are 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 impulsively leads to confusion, self-loathing and loss of control over their environment. In addition, they spend an excessive amount of energy cleaning up the mess.
Yep. It takes serious effort to moderate this stuff, but the effort pays off, at least for me.
Hi, The adult children of alcoholics traits you posted is from a very credible and respected author (Janet Woitiz). However, I would like to suggest adding a “call to action” to your visitors. Al-Anon Family Groups has Al-Anon Adult Children groups that meet throughout the US and Canada. Many adult children of alcoholics attend regular AL-Anon meetings because they have other relationships to alcoholics besides a parent e.g. spouse, sibling, their own children. Anyone interested in learing more about Al-Anon Adult Children groups or Al-Anon in general can visit http://www.al-anon.alateen.org.