Phys. Class

Adult Children of Alcoholics and Their Treatment

Debra Gibbs, Author

Argosy University Online

Instructor: Jennifer Vanags

Table of Contents:

1. Seeking help:

a. Self-help psychology

b. Psychology of Addictive Families:

c. Group Psychology

2. Type of Treatments:

a. Psychoanalytic treatment:

b. Therapist Self-Disclosure:

3. Central Treatment Issues

a. Denial

b. Shame

c. Self-depravation

d. Destructively Self feeding

4. Long term Care

a. Continued Therapy

b. Self-Discovery

c. Living a Normal Family Life

5. Conclusion

6. References:

Can adult children of alcoholics break the cycle of abuse ?

Research found that Adult Children of Alcoholics, here on in known as ACOA's can receive help getting through all that they have been exposed to while growing up. There are three ways that ACOA's can seek help:

1. Self-help psychology, (Gravitz & Bowden, 1985; Kritsberg,1986; Woititz, 1983)

2. Psychology of Addictive Families, (Cermak,1986; Schaef, 1986; Whitfield,1987)

3. Group Psychology, (e.g. Brown & Beletsis,m 1986; Cermak & Brown, 1982)

(Psyc INFO Database Record, 2012)

While there are two Central treatment issues that must be faced:

1. To free their true self by working through the denial and shame, (Kohut, 1984)

2. To "unfreeze" the inner sadness produced by a background of profound deprivation, (Winnicott, 1975)

When the Adult child comes to grips with their own needs and learns to get past the history of abuse, they will then be able to start learning how to live within a normal family situation.

References:

Broemmel, M.,2013, What Are the Symptoms of Drug or Alcohol Abuse in Children?,

Demand Media, Inc. retrieved June 23, 2013 from:

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5610208_symptoms-drug-alcohol-abuse-children_.html

Buddy,T. 2011, January 19, Domestic Abuse and Alcohol. About.com. retrieved June 23, 2013

from: http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/abuse/a/aa990331.htm

Buddy,...