It is not surprising that research continues to link childhood trauma to adult mental health problems. A study by Swedish researchers Anneli Silvén Hagströma and Ulla Forinder looked into the trauma and shame felt by adults who were raised by one or more alcoholic parents.
They looked at outcomes during 3 interviews as part of a longitudinal study from ages 2-13 years and asked about challenges growing up with at least 1 alcoholic parent. The participants talked about alcohol related episodes of fear, verbal and or physical abuse and neglect. Virtually all of the participants recognized a striking change in behavior when the parent(s) were drinking and the feeling of powerlessness to stop it. But, even as young children some attempted to decrease the amount their parent(s) drank by hiding the bottles or pouring the alcohol down the drain.
Some children became the caretakers to younger siblings or to the parent who drank while others would hide when the parent became intoxicated to avoid verbal or physical abuse. Most children stated they did not report the abuse because of the stigma associated with an alcoholic parent and spent years suffering in silence.
Alcoholism is a disease and those who abuse alcohol or other substances are often in physical or emotional pain themselves. The victims of alcoholics are often traumatized and can have difficulty in their adult relationships because of this past abuse. We need to address the continued stigma with mental health care so families can all get the help they need.
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You can read more about the study here
Anneli Silvén Hagström & Ulla Forinder (2022) ‘If I whistled in her ear she’d wake up’: children’s narration about their experiences of growing up in alcoholic families, Journal of Family Studies, 28:1, 216-238, DOI: 10.1080/13229400.2019.1699849
