Is it true that children of alcoholics/addicts tend to have more anxiety problem!


Question:

Is it true that children of alcoholics/addicts tend to have more anxiety problems than others?

I have had severe anxiety and suffered from depression my whole life. My life isn't bad at all! But I grew up in a dysfunctional household with a drunk dad who didn't care and a depressed mom who wasn't around much. I finally saw a counselor last year and she said it's very common for children of drunks/addicts to have high levels of anxiety in their adult years. Does anyone know if this is true or suffer from this?


Answers:

It is somewhat of an over-simplified answer.
Children of alcoholics and / or mental illness often have had inconsistent parenting. As a result those children often have not negotiated the various developmental stages of early life as well as children from healthier parents. The consequences of that can be low self-esteem, inadequate development of social skill, difficulty forming close relationships and boundary problems. All the above can make interacting with others more stressful - thus anxiety or depression.
Also, there could be underlying biological markers for depression or anxiety that your parents experienced. It is not uncommon for people to use alcohol or other drugs to self-medicate their mood only to have the alcohol or drug turn into a primary disorder of its own later.




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