Adult Children of Alcoholics : Expanded Edition

Rating:
Summary: Quite an eye opener
Review: This book opened my eyes by showing why I behaved certain ways. When I was a kid I used to think I was just weird and would never fit in, now I know why I felt that way and why I was different. This is definitely a must-read book for any child with an alcoholic or drug addict parent or even if you just know someone who is.

Rating:
Summary: For ACoAs, those in relationships with them, & therapists
Review: This book was instrumental in helping me link current behaviors to past events experienced as a child of an alcoholic family. I always new unhealthy behaviors I practice today were a result of my early experiences, but I had never thought through the correlations thoroughly. This book did that for me. Now instead of thinking in general terms such as "I act like this because I'm from a dysfunctional family," I can think, "I act like x,y, or z, because I experienced/learned/internalized x, y, or z." It enabled me to view my current behaviors as normal for someone who experienced what I did...discovering the specific correlations and that I was normal provided a big relief. As a beginning psychotherapist, it synthesized the signs that may enable me to recognize a client who is an ACoA, as many individuals, unfortunately, are not forthcoming with this information, and a therapist unfamiliar with characteristics of ACoAs may misdiagnosis what is going on with his/her client if s/he is not aware that the client comes from this type of background. If you are an ACoA, give this book to significant others in your life so that they can understand why you behave the way you do at times.

Rating:
Summary: This book is the story of my life!!
Review: This is the first book I have found that really describes my family. My parents were not alcoholics, but after reading this book, I realized my father is a dry alcoholic. This book is incredibly enlightening for anyone coming from a disfunctional home, which is probably most of us. It is brief and to the point, but in those few pages I learned more about my family than I have in my whole 32 years of life. I highly recommend this book.