From Survival to Recovery: Growing Up in an Alcoholic Home

by Al-Anon Family Groups

This books takes an accurate and 'in depth' look at what it's like to grow up in an alcoholic/dysfunctional family.

Genres: Psychology, Self Help, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Personal Development, Addiction, Inspirational

301 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1994

Reviews

[Chrysta · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book from Al-Anon Family Groups, From Survival To Recovery focuses on Adult Children of Alcoholics, sharing the heartbreaking, courageous and honest stories of Adult Children who have found peace, serenity and joy thanks to the Al-Anon program. A must read for any Al-Anon!

[Chris Gager · Rating 5 out of 5]

My story. Our story. If you grew up in a screwed up family read this. Date read is for the beginning. Read more than once of course.

[Gia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book for adult children of alcoholics, or the children of any other kind of addict for that matter. Tells a story that isn't told in other program literature.

Serves as a vital tool of validation for our experience. Often this validation is hard to get from the family or even friends.

[Joy Chen · Rating 4 out of 5]

eye-opening, inspiring and courageous

[Mamaang · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very excited to get a copy of this book but it left me disappointed. I liked how they broke everything down and had stories to go along with the subject but I found myself having a very hard time getting through the book. I was very bored with the writing and feel I've taken very little away from the read. I've enjoyed other Al-Anon books but I didn't respond to this one the way I would've liked.

[Janine Toomey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great insight for this old girl! Thankful for those that laid down their stories and their perspectives on the trail to recovery.

[Emily B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book I will definitely read more than once. When reading I bookmarked many pages that contained insightful information.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Healing

[Yeongbae K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought the book early in my recovery. After having read a few pages, I put it away because the stories felt too raw, too much.

Now that I have more recovery, I was able to pick it up again. This time, I was no longer 'afraid' of the stories. Rather, the stories re-affirm that I am not alone.

I feel grateful for the experience, strength and hope in the program.

Keep coming.

[Any Length · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it and see if you relate. If you do there is a way out.

[Kathy Cramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eye opener.

[Siobhain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each Al Anon book is a nugget of gold because it is filled with the personal stories of people who have suffered due to alcoholism in another and are willing to do the hard work needed to accept reality and work on their own mental and emotional health. From Survival to Recovery: Growing Up in an Alcoholic Home focuses on those who have had an alcoholic parent or grandparent. Each chapter explains an element of what Al Anon is and how it works followed by personal stories of members who have suffered the difficulties and worked the program. The book is broken into four parts:
Part One: Our Many Faces
Part Two: Beginning to Recover
Part Three: Climbing the Steps to Recovery
Part Four: Healing Broken Childhoods

I highly recommend this for those who grew up with someone who had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol or know someone who did.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel a spiritual connection with the Al-Anon program. I feel comforted after reading this book. At first, it was hard to swallow the realities of the disease of alcoholism, however, we are not alone. Thank you for this book

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helps to know I'm not in this difficult journey alone. I can learn and use better tools to function as an adult rather than using coping skills which got me through childhood but are not truly mature assets.

[Tristan Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gives a great overview of the steps and how they specifically apply to children of alcoholics. The text is heavily driven by personal account that can vary in value but amount to a real communal feel attesting to both the power of the program as well as the volume.

[Jessica Newberry · Rating 3 out of 5]

For those unfamiliar with AlAnon, this is a good introduction to the steps relevant to ACAs. However, if AlAnon is not for you, it's not much more than an introduction.

[Miss Murder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not much to say on this one, other than it’s good if you’re a part of Al-Anon

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

You'd like that someone pulled some of these stories right from my head. Such a helpful read.

[Michael · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't read my review if you're sensitive about criticism of these programs. I didn't read this book just to take pot-shots at it, or the people involved in, and/or benefitting from, support groups. My review is, however, extremely critical. If you do end up reading it, and feel the impulse to preach to me, I urge you not to waste your breath. I'm interested in the general premise, but not the methods prescribed.

It's been a while since I've been this exasperated with a book. I'm about halfway through it, and already eager to mark it "read." Sure, it's interesting to read the stories of people who've grown up blind to the ways their family's alcoholism has shaped their lives. Even those in households devoid of any particular abuse have been deeply affected by their parents' dereliction and escapism. That's not the problem. The trouble is that only makes up the middle third of each story.

The pattern is predictable: they begin by admitting their denial, they figure out what went horribly wrong, and they end by rhapsodizing about an ongoing reliance on support groups, or their delegation of responsibility/causality to their "Higher Power." Bully for them, but a book it does not make. This thing reads like a protracted pamphlet, an overly ambitious brochure, an endless procession of testimonials and blurbs compiled into a maddeningly repetitious descent into mawkish platitudes. For a literature nerd, this is like reading the pull quotes from movie reviewers on a DVD case 600' long. Beyond a few insights here and there, it offers mostly gimmicks, slogans, catchy acronyms, bizarre Unitarian prayers, and an unrelenting promotion of support groups.

If you want something with real substance, real meat to it, I couldn't recommend this at all.