RNs- Mostly first born? Alcoholic fathers?

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  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-

I 'voted' for my sister.....first born of a functional alcoholic father.

However, that being said.....my mom is a nurse, first born no alcoholics in her parentage. My brother is fourth born and an RN and I, the second born, will be an RN in a little over a year.

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Specializes in Psych, ER, Resp/Med, LTC, Education.

I have to say it dissapoints me to see NURSES referring to someone as "crazy"......if we are ever going to stop the stigma we have to start with those in the health care business. It's really not PC. Mentally Ill....is oaky but crazy is not. It's really derogative and disrespectful to the mental health community......... sorry but that just drives me nuts and like I said if we are ever going to change the public view of the mentally ill it has to start with all of us.

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Specializes in ICU, School Nurse, Med/Surg, Psych.

SAHM the correct term for "mom who was crazy" is co-dependent. Dempather explained it fairly well. That is why Lois W. started Al-Anon shortly after her husband Bill W. started AA. Addiction is a family disease because the people who love an addicted person learn behaviors that are unhealthy in response to the behavior of the addicted person. I am an adult child of an alcoholic who is an adult child of an alcoholic who is.... (My father is an alcoholic and so is my grandfather and his father....) The addiction is the relief from the problem which is life.

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I' m studying to be an RN now. This is so interesting and sad too.

I am the first born daughter. Father alcoholic. Mother (deceased) very codependent and so are my younger sister and I. My sister also is probably an alcoholic whereas I don't touch the stuff.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Youngest of seven children.Loving teetotaller parents.

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Specializes in MICU, neuro, orthotrauma.

I picked other

First born of four kids. Mother is paranoid schizophrenic. I wish the poll were "impaired" rather than alcoholic, because impairment of any kind encourages the first born to take over.

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Specializes in ED.

I am the eldest child and my mom is BIPOLAR.

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Specializes in cardiac, ortho, med surg, oncology.

Birth order gets kind of crazy in my family....2 older sisters, I am a second born twin and have a sister 7 years younger. Hmmm middle child? Last born? Anyway father abandoned ship when I was about 2. Mother is daughter of alcoholic father who committed suicide when she was 7. Mother drank but not enough to be considered an alcoholic but was very (strong understatement) controlling.

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Im an only child :cry: but my mom wasnt an alcoholic :loveya:

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Wow, very interesting. Only child mum RN no dad around

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Specializes in CCRN, House Sup, CCT, Unit Director, ICU.

First born, only child to two alcoholic parents.

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Check. Check. First born. Alcoholic parent. Grown up child in a house of childish adults.

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