te to<br >aess<br >~een<br >CHAPTER<br > "1 -<br >Adult Children of Alcoholics and<br >the Alcoholic Family System<br >Only recently has attefition been given to individuals<br >who grew up in an alcol~olic family. Prior to the 1980s，<br >treatment focused on the~lcoholic. It was assumed that<br >if the alcoholism could be stopped， not only would the<br >alcoholic get better， but so would everyone else in the<br >family. Through the ACOA movement， professionals， the<br >public， and adults who grew up in alcoholic homes are<br >becoming more aware of the specific long-term effects<br >of alcoholism. The ACOA s high risk for developing emo-<br >tional， physical， interpersonal， and behavioral problems<br >(problems which can result in addictive illnesses) is<br >now recognized. Before we explore ACOA family issues<br >more fully， let s take a look at the importance of the<br >family.<br >The Purpose of a Family<br > It s through a family that we are taught basic beliefs，<br >values， and a definition of what is normal. It s through<br >the family that each child learns who she is and what to<br >expect in life.<br > A renowned family therapist， Salvador Minuchin， be-<br >lieves the family is one of the most important groups a child<br ><br >