RNs- Mostly first born? Alcoholic fathers?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

  1. RNs- first born of alcoholic fathers or ?

    • 309
      RN, first born or only child of alcoholic father
    • 56
      RN, first born or only child of alcoholic mother
    • 62
      RN, first born or only child, both parents alcoholic
    • 327
      RN, first born or only child, neither parent alcoholic
    • 162
      RN, not first born, alcoholic father
    • 22
      RN, not first born, alcoholic mother
    • 30
      RN, not first born, both parents alcoholic
    • 261
      RN, not first born, neither parent alcoholic
    • 42
      Other- not listed (please explain)

1,271 members have participated

KristyBRN's thread on this topic is very interesting. She has heard that many RNs are first borns of alcoholic fathers. I thought we could use a quantitative poll on the subject.- *Please add any comment you wish, i.e. tell us if you are an only or first born.

Please choose the option that best describes you-

Specializes in none yet, aiming for cnm.

just a cna in lpn school planning to get rn. first born of alcoholic father, semi-normal mom, but i am an alcoholic(sober), my bro 6years younger, drug addict, sis 8 years younger, light drinker, no drugs. I was raised differently than they were, yet we all learned a lesson from our divorced parents. He has a hard time functioning sober, i refuse to be attached because of lack of resources, sis wants perfect family,house, blah blah. ps she's a LPN studying to be RN. so while this study is valid, but like those birth order books, not always accurate.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, home health, psych.

I am an RN, 2nd born with both alcoholic mother and father.....

BTW, I don't drink at all.....but my husband was alcoholic...go figure...

guess what they say is you marry someone like your father..I didn't prove them wrong !!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Not a nurse yet...

I'm the youngest, my father was an alcoholic. He passed away from the disease when i was 13 (day before his 54th birthday). father also bipolar, my mom most likely bipolar as well. parents seperated when i was 3 or 4

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, Mother-baby, home health care.

thank you for this poll. I had never heard about this. I'm an RN, only child, father's an alcoholic, mother is too but not as bad, if that makes sense. And I do not drink, and have married a man who is NOT an alcoholic. yea, for breaking the chain!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU Level III.

oh weird ! i'm an only child (of my mom's) and my dad was supposedly an alcoholic before i was born.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, Tissue & Organ Recovery, Surgery.

I would definitely like to see a spinon this one with a mentally ill parent thrown into the mix. It certainly has to be somewhat equivalent to the alcoholic variety.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics, ICU, OR, PACU.

Interesting poll. I'm the oldest of a bipolar, alcoholic father. I was blown away by the results of this poll--thanks to the thread starter.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in psych. rehab nursing, float pool.
KristyBRN's thread on this topic is very interesting. She has heard that many RNs are first borns of alcoholic fathers. I thought we could use a quantitative poll on the subject.- *Please add any comment you wish, i.e. tell us if you are an only or first born.

Please choose the option that best describes you-

A study I read years ago was not RN specific, however it did relay that most people who are in the field of health care, are caretakers ( coming from dysfunctional families whether it was due to alcoholism, or other issues within their families of origin) and yes , I do believe most also happened to be First Born's. However that is not to imply only First Born's or people coming from dysfunction are the only people who work in health care.. What I love the most about so called studies or statistics are that they can be ,and often are skewed to reflect whatever the writer wants to prove the results they want to write about.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, home health, psych.

Yep, both mom and dad drank......but I am second born...

first female that is an RN, tho....

(I don't drink but ended up marrying not 1 but 2 alcoholics !!)

Go figure....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Peds.

Eldest of four, RN, alcoholic military father. When I looked at the list of characteristics of ACOAs, I saw myself in many of them. We were latchkey kids before anybody had coined the phrase. I was responsible for 2 of my sibs while both parents were at work (Dad was a shiftworker and Mom worked evenings as a waitress) by the time I was 11. When baby sister was born when I was 14, sister #1 was 12 1/2 and brother was 9 1/2 ( :no: ) Mom wasn't interested in mothering her much so into the breach stepped I. Looking for "love" in all the wrong places found me pregnant at 18 and totally in denial. After I gave up the baby for adoption, I took the first opportunity to get out from under the dysfunctional family I was born into, and have now spent more than 30 years in a parallel universe where the addicted party isn't into alcohol but self-gratification. It's all about him 24/7. I drink socially, sometimes.

Sister #1 abuses alcohol but not to the extent Dad does; she's a very ambitious and aggressive person who doesn't let anyone get close to her. She had a disastrous marriage entered into when she was 17 and now has a daughter with borderline personality disorder. Brother has never managed to get it together and has drifted from dead-end job to dead-end job, manipulative relationships with older women and is working himself to death. He had an alcohol problem but has managed to overcome it. Little sister is on permanent disability for chronic severe dperession, social phobia, anxiety disorder, body dysmorphic disorder and psychotic features.

Parents are still living and still together. Both are also ACOAs (paternal). Dad was the oldest son and second-born. His father died of lung cancer when Dad was 25. Mom was the fourth of six girls; her father committed suicide when she was 6 and her mother was mentally ill for most of her adult life. Dad's drinking is still in the forefront; when they come to visit he stops at the liquor mart before they get here, to make sure he has enough rye to last the time he's here. He knows I won't buy it for him. Mom just does her own thing. Only little sister lives in the same town as them; she's codependent and "delicate".

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, home health, psych.

Some think it's holding on that makes one strong: sometimes it's letting go.......I REALLY NEEDED THAT....THANK YOU !!!

My youngest son just left for College this year 300 mi. away and I am trying to keep up the happy face and excitement to share with him...

He is going great but I have lost my right arm, if seems like...we are very close...But I am so proud of him....I am glad he got away from his alcoholic father (he loves him, he was never cruel to him) to see how "normal" people live....thank for letting me express some pent up feelings.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Peds.

I've always believed that my job as a parent was to enable my children to be independent adults who work hard, are respected by their peers and are happy in their relationships. Letting go is really hard, but it's the proof of the pudding, don't you think? My daughters are independent, successful, respected and working toward happy, and I think I've done a good job getting them there. Just as you have, aloevera, in getting your son to where he is. The day will come when he recognizes what you've accomplished and provided for him and he'll thank you for it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment