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Facts About Alcoholism:
Living with an Addicted Parent


Children of Alcoholics - Facts about Alcoholism

Children living in households with a non-recovering alcoholic parent may have life-long emotional scars and are hindered by the ability to grow in developmentally healthy ways.

These children may go through life with an array of problems, including a poor self-image, decision-making issues, and challenges developing and sustaining relationships.




They typically experience high levels of stress and conflict, and may have deep-rooted feelings of guilt. Loneliness and a fear abandonment are common, as is major depression.

Having different life experiences than children raised in non-alcoholic families, children and youth have trouble academically -- and score lower on measures of family cohesion, intellectual and cultural orientation, recreational engagement and independence.

Here are some facts about alcoholism related to children who are raised by an alcoholic parent.

  • Seventy-six million Americans have been exposed to alcoholism in their families.

  • Nearly 20 percent of adults lived with an alcoholic while growing up.

  • More than 10 percent of adult drinkers are alcoholics.

  • There are nearly 27 million children of alcoholics living in the U.S. Research indicates that 11 million are under the age of 18.

  • The cost of alcoholism’s impact on society is estimated at more than $166 billion dollars annually.

Providing effective assistance for children of alcoholics can be challenging and complex. The entire family must be engaged in the treatment process to achieve an optimal outcome.




A variety of strategies may be deployed that include group family therapy, individualized counseling, medication and support group participation. For information on the different types of treatment programs available, click here.

Sources: (1) National Clearinghouse for Alcohol Abuse and Addiction, (2) Alcohol, William Dudley, 2001 - Greenhaven Press, Inc., San Diego, California, pg 110.


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