Narratives of the children of addicts and their effects
Location
SU-003
Start Date
1-5-2026 9:20 AM
Department
Philosophy
Abstract
Hilde Lindeman argues that to answer the question of “Who am I”, we use narrative identity. Narrative identity is our self-conception that is formulated by ourselves and others; it is constructed through the collective interplay of holding on to and letting go of certain stories, relationships and behaviors that are felt to be congruent with who we truly are. This can be healthy and useful when we have stable home environments, supportive families, and caring friends, as they can reassure us that we are a good person and are worthy of love when we feel amoral and undeserving. But what happens when our past experiences and communities are negative? That is the question that this paper will answer. In this paper I will explore how narratives are formulated when children grow up in homes of addiction and do not receive the proper reinforcement and recognition necessary to develop positive self-narratives. Then further analyzing how these narratives affect relationships and outlooks in adulthood. This paper will detail the negative impact homes of addiction have on children and argue that the self-conceptions developed are destructive as they inhibit identity development and confine ways of thinking. I will also show that although harmful when central to identity, narratives developed in homes of addiction can be beneficial if decentralized and used as an epistemic resource. In conducting research for this paper, I reviewed academic articles in psychology, philosophy and science of addiction, and philosophy of identity. This project is important because the field of philosophy has paid little attention to the children of addicts. Understanding the process of identity formation in this home environment and the effects on self-conception, provides insight for people who experienced this type of upbringing or anyone who had a traumatic childhood. The particular case utilized in this paper is just one example of the broader implications of trauma on identity formation and the epistemic dangers that follow.
Faculty Sponsor
Stacy Goguen
Narratives of the children of addicts and their effects
SU-003
Hilde Lindeman argues that to answer the question of “Who am I”, we use narrative identity. Narrative identity is our self-conception that is formulated by ourselves and others; it is constructed through the collective interplay of holding on to and letting go of certain stories, relationships and behaviors that are felt to be congruent with who we truly are. This can be healthy and useful when we have stable home environments, supportive families, and caring friends, as they can reassure us that we are a good person and are worthy of love when we feel amoral and undeserving. But what happens when our past experiences and communities are negative? That is the question that this paper will answer. In this paper I will explore how narratives are formulated when children grow up in homes of addiction and do not receive the proper reinforcement and recognition necessary to develop positive self-narratives. Then further analyzing how these narratives affect relationships and outlooks in adulthood. This paper will detail the negative impact homes of addiction have on children and argue that the self-conceptions developed are destructive as they inhibit identity development and confine ways of thinking. I will also show that although harmful when central to identity, narratives developed in homes of addiction can be beneficial if decentralized and used as an epistemic resource. In conducting research for this paper, I reviewed academic articles in psychology, philosophy and science of addiction, and philosophy of identity. This project is important because the field of philosophy has paid little attention to the children of addicts. Understanding the process of identity formation in this home environment and the effects on self-conception, provides insight for people who experienced this type of upbringing or anyone who had a traumatic childhood. The particular case utilized in this paper is just one example of the broader implications of trauma on identity formation and the epistemic dangers that follow.