How Growing Up With Alcoholic Parents Affects Children

Posted on August 15, 2025

How Growing Up With Alcoholic Parents Affects Children

Alcohol addiction doesn’t only affect the person drinking, but it also affects the entire family.

Children of alcoholic parents often grow up in environments that are unpredictable and involve emotional neglect and instability.

These experiences may have long-lasting consequences on a child’s mental health, relationships, and physical well-being. Yet, with the right support, it is possible to recover from a childhood with alcoholic parents.

This blog explores how alcoholic parents might impact children, the long-term effects of having an alcoholic parent, and what support is available in order to break the addiction cycle.

The Hidden Victims of Alcoholic Parents

Alcoholism can be thought of as a “family disease” because of its effect on those around the individual. [1]

With families where one or both parents misuse alcohol, children can face issues including:

Neglect: If children have missed meals, experience continued lack of supervision, and have emotional needs that go unmet.
Unpredictability: Parents may act with both affection and hostility, depending on their drinking habits.
Role reversal: Children may be forced into adult responsibilities, such as caring for brothers and sisters or even their own parents.

Emotional Impact of Alcoholic Parents on Children

Living in an unpredictable environment can cause stress and emotional insecurity.

Common emotional effects include:

Anxiety: Due to constant worry about a parent’s behaviour.
Low self-esteem: A lack of consistent love can make a child feel unworthy.
Shame and guilt: When they believe they are the reason for their parents’ drinking.
Loneliness: Isolation from friends due to embarrassment or fear of them knowing their family dynamics.

Behavioural and Social Effects of Having Alcoholic Parents

Children of alcoholic parents may struggle at school and with their friendships.

Behavioural effects may include:

Academic problems: Poor concentration and missed classes.
Difficulty trusting others: Issues relying on others because of broken promises made at home.
Aggression or withdrawal: Some children act out, while others retreat into themselves.
People-pleasing: Always trying to keep the peace and avoid any conflict.

Long-Term Effects of Alcoholic Parents into Adulthood

The impact of growing up with an alcoholic parent can continue way into adulthood. [2]

Some long-term consequences include:

Relationship difficulties
Emotional regulation problems
Higher risk of developing an addiction
Perfectionism and overachievement to mask feelings of inner turmoil
Health issues such as anxiety, depression or heart disease

However, it’s important to remember that not all children of alcoholic parents experience these kinds of difficulties in life. Thanks to protective factors, many children develop resistance.

This could be due to stabilising forces such as a supportive adult (teacher or relative), ongoing therapy, or healthy hobbies including sports.

Breaking the Cycle of Addiction and Trauma

It is possible to break the addiction cycle for children and adults affected by parental alcohol misuse. [3]

For children and teenagers, there are multiple options, such as:

Support groups: Programmes like Alateen provide safe spaces to share experiences.
School support: Counsellors and teachers can help connect children with resources and help.
Child Protection Services: Intervention may be necessary in severe cases, including in cases of neglect or abuse.

For adults who experienced alcoholic parents, you can try:

Therapy: Trauma-informed counselling, CBT, and family therapy can address deep-rooted mental health issues.
Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA) groups: For peer support from those in a similar situation to you.
Self-compassion practices: Replacing guilt and shame with understanding.

Get Help for Alcohol Addiction

Parents struggling with alcohol use disorder often love their children deeply but feel trapped by dependency and addiction. [4]

Support and treatment options for an alcohol use disorder include:

Detox programmes to manage an alcohol withdrawal safely.
Residential rehab for intensive treatment and therapy, generally lasting 28 days.
Outpatient programmes for ongoing care while still staying in the comfort of your own home.
Family therapy to repair relationships and build healthy communication.

By seeking help, parents can not only recover but also start to rebuild trust and stability within the family and for their children.

Children of alcoholic parents are often the hidden victims of addiction, carrying emotional scars into adulthood. Yet with the right interventions and support, cycles of trauma can be broken.

If you or someone you know has been affected by alcohol addiction either as a parent or as a child, professional help is available. Rehab Recovery offers advice, treatment options, and compassionate guidance for families navigating the effects of alcoholism.

Call us today on 0800 088 66 86 for free, no-obligation guidance, and take the first step towards recovery.