The ACoA Trauma Syndrome: The Impact of Childhood Pain on Adult Relationships

Dayton, a psychologist, trainer in psychodrama, creative arts therapist, and teacher, offers a guide for adult children of alcoholics (AcoAs) to understanding the cumulative trauma that addiction or dysfunction can create in their lives, to the extent in which suppressed pain from childhood reemerges and is experienced and lived out in adulthood. She addresses the AcoA trauma syndrome and how it is a post-traumatic stress syndrome, its effects, and how to manage them. She explains the family system that contains addiction, how the mind and body become affected by this dysfunctional relationship, the narcissistic parent, cases of adult children who have used self-medication to cope, case studies of attitude and lifestyle changes that can build resilience and strength, and ways to break the intergenerational cycle of pain. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)