I can really relate to that. My grandfather was an alcoholic, and my parents abused substances, and they were all violent. I have PTSD and I self-medicated by drinking. I do all the programs. There aren't as many ACoA face2face 12 Step programs as there were a few years ago. Alanon put them back in their groups, but I don't really like alanon. I like AA because they focus on themselves better sometimes. Alanon tend to focus on 'my a' instead of doing their own self-improvement program (not all - dot here is great, and some others really get the idea). ACoA helped me a lot because I found there so many things that I had in common with the others, and learned new coping skills,,,  as long as they also don't dwell on blaming their parents for everything and their anger so they don't sit on a pity pot all the time and do focus on the 12 Step recovery. We also have a Childhood Abuse Survivors forum, which I find helpful, although it remains fairly quiet...  we do silently support each other,, and I know if I need a response that they are there,,, and I am there for them. Sometimes the first Step is to get a professional counselor who is familiar with these issues for therapy,,  since support groups support growth and don't do therapy, give counseling or advise.

This board is a central one on this site, to me,,, because the 12 Steps are the meat of all the programs.

keep coming,

love in recovery,

amanda