'FEEL WHAT WE FEEL'

Since June 2024

The goal of this work is to express the diverse and overwhelming emotional world of the children whose parents suffer from alcoholism.

Due to their close relationship and dependence, relatives and friends - but especially children are extremely affected of this, still so stigmatized, illness. Many of us get told from an early age that this topic is something we shouldn't talk about with others. It's a scary secret, shared by millions of people on this earth. 

"1 in 4 children under the age of 18 years are touched by the adverse effects of a parent abusing alcohol or drugs" - NACoA (US)

"About 1 in 8 children (8.7 million) aged 17 or younger lived in households with at least one parent who had a past year substance use disorder (SUD)" 

"About 1 in 10 children (7.5 million) lived in households with at least one parent who had a past year alcohol use disorder"

- National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2009-2014)

These Numbers might vary depending on the differences in wording of the statements, but there's no doubt that way too many children, both under age as well as adults, have to go through all the heavy burdens that come with an alcoholic parent. 

So instead of keeping this secret, I want to share it with the world, and use this project to also gather the voices of others who are affected as well - so that together we are loud instead of silent, so that we make people look at something they'd rather turn a blind eye to, and so that we can start having discussions about this issue without feeling shame.