Adult Child Characteristics: Alcoholic/Dysfunctional Family
led here by johnny's blog [still cannot put that book down!], i tested myself. my mother was an alcoholic. these are characteristics of adult children:

1. Adult children guess at what normal is.
2. Adult children have difficulty in following a project through from beginning to end. check
3. Adult children lie when it would be just as easy to tell the truth.
4. Adult children judge themselves without mercy. check
5. Adult children have difficulty having fun.
6. Adult children take themselves very seriously. check
7. Adult children have difficulty with intimate relationships. check
8. Adult children over-react to changes over which they have no control. maybe check - it's my reaction so who am i to say it is an over-reaction?
9. Adult children constantly seek approval and affirmation. check - i work to be self-referred but lose that battle often as not
10. Adult children feel that they are different from other people. check, with caveat: i think every person is different from other people
11. Adult children are either super responsible or super irresponsible.
12. Adult children are extremely loyal, even in the face of evidence that the loyalty is undeserved. check
13. Adult children are impulsive. super check

maybe i'll browse further. i've considered that a 12-step program is probably a good idea for me. however, rather than that hard road [which i probably won't finish, being an adult child and all], i'm going with the artist's way. just did my first morning pages and affirmations.

also! read the draft of my query letter to my counselor today. he says it's good. he praises me and my progress highly. he told me that i have had my "eyes on the prize" as i have traveled through hell.

bekah on her first birthday

i think he actually admires me. i guess in fact i am proud of me. still too lazy. true...and he said you're ready to go on to the next step [pursuing publication]. i said well, it's kinda like, FUCK IT! what can you do to hurt me now? i've withstood the worst thing. he agreed.

there is freedom in FUCK IT! the book will either fly or it won't. if it doesn't it will hurt. but FUCK IT! you cannot hurt me more. i am good to go for any fucking thing. as long as my boys and grandbabies and denise are okay.

- posted by barbara @ 10/15/2003 11:16:00 PM