Ana Marie Cox on Alcohol and Having to Become Your Parent’s Parent

Content Warning: This episode discusses substance abuse, addiction and suicide. Long before she became a successful journalist, political pundit, and podcaster, Ana Marie Cox was doing her best to navigate some tough times. The family was constantly moving, which, combined with being an only child, made it hard to make and keep friends and get the peer support kids need. Ana needed even more support when her parents divorced and Ana was thrust into the role of being a parent for both herself and her alcoholic mom. When Ana went to live with her dad as a teenager, her mom was heart-broken, furious, and never stopped telling Ana about those feelings until she died of cirrhosis of the liver. Meanwhile, Ana began drinking herself at age 13, a habit that would lead to alcoholism, a life that fell apart, and ultimately rehab, sobriety, and a new lease on life. Ana tells host Dr. Michelle K. Murray about the steps she has taken to make sense of her past so she can thrive in the present and future.   Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Learn more about parentification and its impact on family systems: Parentification: Signs and Symptoms of a Parentified Child Explore more about ketamine-assisted therapy and its considerations: A New Patient's Guide to Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Ketamine Infusion Therapy Treatment Considerations