It Will Never Happen to Me! Growing up with Addiction as Youngsters, Adolescents, Adults

OVER TWO MILLION COPIES SOLD • A practical, compassionate guide for children of alcoholics that explores the complications of growing up with alcoholic parents, provides grounding exercises for self-healing, and offers help to break the pattern of destruction “A landmark in the field.”—Father Joseph Martin Why are children of alcoholics more likely to become alcoholic? Or marry an alcoholic? What kinds of problems do they face in adulthood as a result of their childhood experiences? What can we do to help adults who grew up in alcoholic homes—or are now involved with others who did—and want to understand their childhoods and restructure their lives? “It will never happen to me” is a line spoken by all who have been raised in a family where one or both parents have a problem with alcohol. To help navigate the instability of living with an alcoholic, children and adolescents develop survival techniques that can lead to myriad problems in adulthood, including depression, anxiety, an inability to maintain intimate relationships, low self-esteem, and even becoming an alcoholic themselves. In It Will Never Happen to Me!, renowned addiction researcher Claudia Black, Ph.D. blends anecdotes and her own experiences working with adult children of alcoholics to present a comprehensive overview of the roles that children with alcoholic parents take on—the Responsible One, the Adjuster, the Placater, or the Acting Out Child—and how they evolve throughout childhood and adulthood. She offers resources for anybody struggling with alcoholism as well as thoughtful questions and problem-solving exercises for processing the impact of living in an alcoholic household. Here are guidelines and help for the children of alcoholics so they can continue into adulthood with a greater sense of self and well-being, and most important—be able to live satisfying, happy lives.