AtATotalLoss

I am a child of an AM. I have watched her drinking forever, and I have gone through periods where I drank a lot. Alcoholism runs in both sides of my family - well addictive behaviors (pills, booze, drugs, etc) so i have always been very careful about my drinking. But my drinking has never been something I HAD to have. I don't know how much choice that is or if I was just lucky enough not to inherit the particular genetic weakness for alcoholism.
Have to say though, I had a party night with some friends the night before New Years, and I am actually thinking of quitting drinking altogether. Isn't something I crave or need and I have seen the ugly side of boozing a few too many times to really have any particular affection for it. It is really frustrating when you see someone who grew up with it fall into the same hole though

DeKalbgirl

I believe that a lot of these behaviors are learned. We all grow up to be like our parents because that's what we were exposed to. Sometimes I feel like I act exactly like my mother!

It breaks my heart to see my teenage daughter acting like a controlling, bitter shrew towards other people, but that's what she learned from me and my behaviors before I found Al-Anon. It's like a slap in the face when I see her acting out exactly like I used to.

I'm going to spend the rest of my life trying to undo the damage that my behavior and AH's behavior has caused my children. I want to teach them that they can make better choices.