ACA therapy is aimed at people who, as a result of growing up in a family with alcoholism, struggle with overwhelming emotional and interpersonal problems in their adult life. This does not mean, however, that ACA therapy is needed by every adult whose parent was an alcoholic.

ACA (Adult Children of Alcoholics) Therapyis a form of support and psychological treatment for adults who grew up in a home where at least one parent / guardian was addicted to alcohol. The specificity of childhood and adolescence in such circumstances is so great that it often leaves a mark for life.

Adult Children of Alcoholics are more likely to experience emotional problems and have difficulty maintaining interpersonal relationships. People with ACoA syndrome grew up in difficult conditions. It forced them to strengthen certain features, emotions and behaviors that helped them survive then, and today they constitute a serious obstacle in normal functioning.

Helplessness, guilt and shame are just some of the feelings that dominated childhood in people with ACoA syndrome. And although today, in adulthood, many of these people try to deny the past, downplay or justify their parents; unknowingly makes mistakes that are a consequence of an alcohol problem in the family home, e.g. falls into the same addiction or clings to people addicted to alcohol. Moreover, such people may suffer from personality disorders, e.g. dependent personality disorder.

ACA therapy - for whom?

Not every alcoholic child should undergo therapy, because not everyone has difficulties in life that they cannot cope with, and which are a consequence of a difficult childhood. The usual indication for therapy for adult children of alcoholics are emotional problems that make their lives difficult and stand in the way of achieving happiness. These include :

  • emotional tension,
  • feeling empty, sad,
  • problem with attention, distraction,
  • pessimism,
  • shame,
  • lowered self-esteem,
  • lack of faith in your abilities,
  • sense of self-sufficiency,
  • withdrawal, avoiding self-development challenges,
  • anxiety and other somatic symptoms.

Relationships can also be problematicinterpersonal:

  • difficulty talking about emotions,
  • over-responsibility,
  • problem with enjoying being a parent (reluctance to have children),
  • communication difficulties,
  • difficulties in reaching an agreement,
  • fear of a relationship, fear of entering into relationships,
  • inability to build lasting and long-term relationships (frequent divorces),
  • inability to enjoy close relationships.

Hundreds of thousands of people in Poland are adult children of alcoholics, that is ACA. Many of them don't even know it. After listening to the Signposts in Eska Rock program, you will learn how to recognize the symptoms of a syndrome that often prevents you from being fully happy. You will learn everything that is most important about ACA therapy from Michał Poklękowski's broadcast, Drogowskazy. Addiction and co-addiction therapist from Warsaw, clinical psychologist - Kaja Funez-Sokoła in an honest conversation with the teacher talks about the backstage of working with patients:

Aims of ACA therapy

The goal of ACA therapy is to provide support. The therapist is supposed to help organize, name difficult experiences from the past and allow a person with ACoA problem to understand their situation more broadly, to see the relationship between the present and childhood. However, the most important thing is to remove the blame from the person so that they know they are not responsible for what other people do and feel. This is to help her start to feel the true joy of life without taking the blame for all her failures. The most important element of the therapy is the sincere willingness of a person with ACoA syndrome to undergo it and to follow the rules of the therapy.

ACA therapy - individually or in groups?

ACA therapy can take place individually or in groups. In both cases, the therapy may last up to several years. It is run by an addiction specialist. Which therapy to choose depends primarily on the person who is to start it.

  • Individual therapy.The advantage of individual therapy is a close relationship with the therapist. It is therefore a form addressed to people who are not afraid of such "closeness" and familiarity. The very method of conducting the therapy allows us to better understand the problem of a person with ACoA syndrome. The intimate atmosphere is conducive to confiding, even the most private ones, and creates conditions for the extraction of every emotion, including the suppressed one. Individual therapy is the best form of treatment for people who are afraid to talk openly and publicly about their problems. They do not want to be judged and find it difficult to come to terms with someone else's criticism. They fear rejection, therefore individual meeting with the therapistit can get rid of these fears, not make them stronger. Individual meetings usually take place once a week in one-hour therapeutic sessions. The duration of the therapy is usually determined by the therapist at the very beginning.
  • Group therapy . ACA group therapy is characterized by the fact that it takes place in a group of several or a dozen or so people who share similar experiences. One of the elements of such therapy are confessions to give participants a sense of community and enable them to solve their problems in a public forum. Everyone is actively involved in group therapy, which is very motivating. For this reason, it is a good solution for people who, although shy, are willing to face their weaknesses. The advantage of group therapy is also the fact that its participants often continue to get to know each other, even after the end of treatment. Thanks to this, they can count on support also after the therapy. Group therapy usually takes place in sessions lasting several hours a week.
Worth knowing

Stages of ACA therapy

Each therapy - both group and individual, usually follows these stages.

  • Stage Iof ACA therapy is the realization of the therapy participant how much a difficult childhood has left a mark on his life today. The person undergoing therapy should first understand the role of specific past experiences in shaping their personality, today's relationships with other people, beliefs and problems. The therapeutic group plays an important role at this stage, as it gives a sense of community and understanding.
  • Stage IIis the closing of the events of the past, separating them from today's life. It is first about understanding the essence of the problems of the past and dealing with them, and searching for new solutions that only take into account today's potential without burdening the burden of childhood. The participant of the therapy must begin to perceive himself more positively, begin to believe in his own abilities and independence, without looking back. He has to change the way he thinks and experiences, mainly by realizing the negative attitude he has presented so far. The success of this stage is the moment when a person with ACoA syndrome begins to believe that he can change his life and wants to do it.
  • Stage IIIis the stage of planning and making small changes in your life based on what the patient has learned so far. It is important here to check whether the advice resulting from the therapy is actually effective and whether the plans that the patient has made are good for him. The therapy participant will either feel motivated to do somaking further changes in his life or he will continue to look for the best solutions for him. At this stage, the therapist is the greatest support for him.

ACA therapy - is it effective?

ACA therapy is considered effective. Research confirms that people with ACoA syndrome, after completing treatment, have better control of their emotions and are able to understand them well. After completing the therapy, its participants try to introduce into their lives the tips they received during the classes. Usually the life change is not spectacular, but it does happen gradually. Relationships with other people improve, the level of satisfaction with life increases, you begin to notice the meaning of your existence and believe in yourself. People after ACA therapy achieve emotional stability (inner peace), have more optimism and start living on their own terms, e.g. breaking up toxic relationships and investing in themselves. If they had psychosomatic symptoms before the therapy, they usually cease to occur after treatment. The full "cure" occurs about 2 years after the completion of the therapy. This is when the attitude towards life and oneself becomes completely different than before the treatment.

However, for ACA therapy to be effective, it is necessary to involve the patient in it and adjust the therapy to him. Sometimes ACA therapy turns out to be insufficient (e.g. when there are deeper psychological problems). Then additional support may be needed, e.g. in the form of psychotherapy. Comprehensive treatment of people with ACoA syndrome is the basis of recovery.

Category:

Psychology