The Family Secret: An Anthology

"Don't trust, don't talk, don't feel" has long been the credo of children of alcoholics. Now The Family Secret brings together the stories of adult children of alcoholics, as they write about their childhood experiences. Divided into four sections, the book reveals important truths about alcoholism and its effect on families. Part One, "Keeping the Family Secret," provides shattering examples of how families hide the disease from others. Part Two, "Living in Fear," illustrates how alcoholism and domestic abuse often go hand in hand. Part Three, "Early Exit," is about the untimely deaths brought about by alcoholism and their often tragic consequences. Part Four, "It Runs in the Family," shows how the children of alcoholics are at a much greater risk of becoming alcoholics themselves. Yet these are also stories of courage and survival.