Posted by joslynn on November 24, 2003, at 9:27:00
In reply to What was your childhood like?, posted by Elle2021 on November 24, 2003, at 0:43:32
When I was growing up, my father was an active alcoholic. It wasn't so bad until I got to be around 8 or so. That's when the yelling got really bad. He yelled a lot at my brother and my mother, for hours, over irrational things like how much salt was on the food. He never hit us, just yelled. I didn't get yelled at as much, probably because I made it my job to figure out what angered him and avoid doing it.
Other times, my father was funny and warm. I never knew what to expect.
I grew up feeling scared whenever my Dad came home (which became increasingly later as the alcoholism progressed).
I think that living with that fear contrtbuted to my anxiety and depression developing later in life. I think I had symptoms of depression around 15 or so and I distinctly remember gettting anxiety attacks when I was 11. Mercifully, they went away on their own.
My new theory is that my Dad probably drank to deal with his own depression and anxiety, so I think there is a genetic link as well.
poster:joslynn
thread:283075
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20031123/msgs/283162.html