Children of Alcoholic Homes Have Trust Issues

Children of Alcoholic Homes Have Trust Issues Addiction Alcohol Use Children of Alcoholics Print Children of Alcoholic Homes May Have Trust Issues Real Stories From Adult Children of Alcoholics By Buddy T facebook twitter Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Learn about our editorial policy Buddy T Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on July 15, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on April 06, 2019 Vincent Besnault/Photographers Choice/Getty More in Addiction Alcohol Use Children of Alcoholics Binge Drinking Withdrawal and Relapse Drunk Driving Addictive Behaviors Drug Use Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery When children grow up in a home with alcoholism  and the usual denial that surrounds it, they may develop serious trust issues as adults. The lies, the keeping secrets, and the broken promises all add up to send a message to the children that trusting can backfire on them. Many grow into adulthood not being able to truly trust anyone, which affects their romantic, professional and spiritual relationships with others. They have been disappointed too often by the alcoholic parent to really let themselves fully trust. Having trust issues is one of the common characteristics that many adult children of alcoholics share. Although these traits are common to adult children of alcoholics, they can also occur due to other family dysfunctions and development issues. Characteristics of Adult Children of Alcoholics Visitors to Verywell  answered the question How Do You Feel Growing Up With an Alcoholic Parent Has Changed You? by telling their stories about trust issues below: Wont Take the ChanceI want to trust people but there is a little voice in the back of my head warning me to stay safe. Better to be alone than to ever subject myself to even the chance that someone might abuse me emotionally the way my mother did. -- Pufflet Paralyzed EmotionallyI am so afraid of trusting anyone, I feel paralyzed emotionally. I am a 42 year old women that has never had a meaningful relationship with a man. I feel so alone and that my life has been a complete and total waste of time. I yearn for someone to love me, but I am unable to let anyone close enough to love. I too am a fixer, but I am unable to fix me. I am damaged goods, unable to live the life that I see others living, unable to love or trust anyone. -- Git It Girl I Trust No OneThe effects of my childhood have been numerous and overwhelming. Im 27 years old and have had only one long term relationship which was very dysfunctional. I have an intense fear of intimacy and trust no one. I have recently become extremely isolated in my life. -- L.W. Everyone Will Let Me DownI have serious trust issues, I believe that everyone will eventually let me down, but really its no more than I deserve. -- Orla Were You Affected? Do you have trouble trusting anyone? Have you been affected in other ways by growing up with alcoholism in the home? You may want to take this quiz to find out other ways you may have been affected without realizing it. Many adult children of alcoholics who find it difficult to trust have found help by becoming members of Al-Anon Family Groups or the support group Adult Children of Alcoholics.