Having an alcoholic mother can be hard for any child to deal with. It’s very difficult to understand as a child how any mother can choose her drinking over you. This can lead to a child feeling as though they aren’t good enough or that their mother doesn’t care for them.
A child’s mind is fragile. If a mother is telling her child that she loves him or her yet still drinks in excess, the child suffers confusion. Other problems, including self esteem issues will arise. The reality is that the mother does love her child very much, but alcoholism is a very strong mental illness. If you have an alcoholic mother, it’s important to understand what’s going on.
Your Alcoholic Mother is Ill
The biggest misconception about alcoholism is that it’s a choice. In a child’s eyes, it seems as though the mother is choosing alcohol over her children. However, the mother has lost the power of choice. Through nearly a century of research by different medical organizations, it’s been found that alcohol addiction is a legitimate brain disorder. Those who suffer from an alcohol addiction have an issue separating true and false. The mind of someone with an alcohol addiction makes the person’s priorities in life become skewed. The alcoholic mind believes it needs alcohol in order to survive. Alcohol addiction affects a part of the brain responsible for logical decision making as well as self-awareness. Therefore, sometimes a person can’t even see how bad their problem has become.
It’s Not Your Fault
Children who have an mother struggling with addiction may take on the blame for their mother’s drinking. Sometimes the mind of a child thinks that if they were a better child, the mother would love them more or stop drinking. Often times, there’s nothing a child can do better to make their mother stop drinking. Your mother is dealing with an illness much like other life-threatening illnesses, which means that she needs professional help in order to recover. Through addiction treatment, it’s possible for your mother to recover, and you both can begin the healing process.
Addiction Treatment Can Help
Pinnacle Peak Recovery in Scottsdale, Arizona, specializes in treating those who suffer from an addiction to alcohol. We have a beautiful facility that provides various levels of care, and we work with many top insurance companies. If your mother wants help, we will provide her with the care and support she needs. One of the main features of our program is family therapy. We understand that addiction affects all members of the family and we want you to heal as well as your mother. With our help, you and your mother can build the relationship that you deserve. Call us today at 866-377-4761 to find out how.
