It has definitely made me take another look at a lot of what I thought I *knew* about myself & my childhood, for sure. It's different as a grown woman with a more expanded world view than the little girl that I once was.
While I knew my dad was an addict, I missed this signs completely in RAH.... they are completely different people & that showed in their behaviors too. Addiction looks very different when you are dealing with it day-to-day vs. through the longer scope too - it's like that labyrinth analogy I like. It is so hard to navigate the twists & turns & keep your sense of direction while you're IN the maze, but hovering above it things look very different!
My dad was the type of addict that was always off doing something, always busy helping someone else, everyone's best bud - but never home for his own kids. So while I would have laughed at the idea that I had any abandonment issues, that's something I've had to really come to terms with because it's true. Just because it didn't fit the textbook definition of it, I told myself it didn't apply to me. And then when AH would be too busy for DD, I would lose. my. mind. Hmmmmm........