Dating a child of alcoholics

Maggie (age 36) sought counseling after her divorce from an alcoholic.

She worried that the possible negative consequences of alcoholism and subsequent divorce might hurt her 6 year old son and her own future relationships.

It is not uncommon to question how your relationships compare to those of others.

It can be difficult for ACAs to express their honest emotions, and they may resort to guessing or looking to others to figure out how they should feel or express themselves.Having protected their families by keeping secrets, ACAs may try to act in a certain way in order to be accepted by others, which can come across as inauthentic.They may also avoid their true feelings in order to focus on those of their partner.Unpredictability, mixed messages, erratic displays of emotion, and threats to physical and emotional safety are common experiences in the homes of Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACAs).It is likely that you or someone you love will be in a relationship with someone who was raised in a home with substance abuse.