Adult Children of Alcoholics at Midlife

Therese Marie joins Mary to tell her midlife story of discovery and recovery. An adult child of an alcoholic, Therese found herself at a support group for those with an addicted loved one, after learning that her husband was binging on cocaine. The big surprise came when she realised that SHE was an alcoholic. Just click the play button in the podcast player above, and hear her powerful story.

This episode focuses on Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACoA). There are very specific behaviors and a mindset of men and women who grew up in the household of an addict.

AcoAs are more likely to either become an Alcoholic or marry one, the addictive behavior can take many different forms of obsession, including: shopping, gambling, pornography, sex, smoking, etc…

Learn more about Therese at MeetTherese.com

The ACoA’s The Laundry List Telephone AlAnon Meetings

From the ACoA website:

Never before in the history of Twelve Step programs has a fellowship brought together such a diverse group of recovering people that includes adult children of alcoholics, codependents, and addicts of various sorts. The program is Adult Children of Alcoholics. The term “adult child” is used to describe adults who grew up in alcoholic or dysfunctional homes and who exhibit identifiable traits that reveal past abuse or neglect. The group includes adults raised in homes without the presence of alcohol or drugs. These ACA members have the trademark presence of abuse, shame, and abandonment found in alcoholic homes.

Our 30 years of experience has shown that adult children who attend our meetings, work the Twelve Steps, and find a Higher Power experience astonishing improvement in body, mind, and spirit. Ours is one of the few Twelve Step fellowships that embraces the difficult task of trauma work, which can often lead to an exciting journey to the Inner Child or True Self. Along with sponsorship, we encourage informed counseling to help the adult child accomplish the greatest level of emotional healing from an abusive upbringing.

Excerpted from Fellowship Text pp. xii-xiii (2006).

Thanks so much for joining me today.

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