I Am Not Alone.

Many teens growing up in a home with a parent Who has a drinking problem feel alone… like they are the only ones going through the painful experience. However, that could not be farther from the truth.

HERE are some facts, SHARED struggles, and STORIES to CHANGE this common ASSUMPTION.

I am not alone… in canada

Did you know that there are about 6.6 million children under the age of 18 who live in a household with at least one alcoholic parent? That is roughly 1 in 6 Canadians! That is an unfortunately high number, and a difficult environment to overcome, but it shows that you are not alone.

It is normal to feel alone in these situations because we fear that talking to others will shame or embarrass our family. More people are speaking up about these issues, and although the stigma still exists, it is becoming less and less powerful.

I am not alone… in my struggles

Have you ever felt like there’s something wrong with you? Like you were the only one going through something and couldn’t understand why? You are not alone.

Common symptoms experienced by teens who grow up in an alcoholic home include:

High levels of stress; anxiety; depression; difficulty expressing and/or controlling emotions; difficulty interacting with others; difficulty coping; low self-esteem;

Being a victim of physical and/or emotional abuse or trauma

Do any of these symptoms fit with your experience? Check out the pages “What About ME? Self-Care” and “I Have Tried Everything… So What Can I Do?” to learn how to cope.

*Not everyone who grows up in an alcoholic home experiences any or all of these symptoms. The list is based on research done on representative samples of children growing up in an alcoholic home. See “References” for a list of studies.

**Check out “Safety Resourcing” to learn how to stay safe for if or when you find yourself in a crisis

I am not alone… others like me

Click on the links below to watch stories of other people like you who have grown up in alcoholic or addicted homes.