My Crazy Life

Book excerpt: What does it feel like when the adult members of a family are too preoccupied or self-absorbed to act as parents? What is life like for kids who grow up in a family where alcoholism is a daily reality, where separation and divorce hang like a cloud over daily life? In these situations it is too often the teen who assumes much of the responsibility and has to grow up quickly amidst the struggle to maintain even a semblance of stability. My Crazy Life presents the voices of ten teens who have lived through these situations. Rather than despair, you will hear these young people talking about how they coped and survived. One girl found strength through friendships and her sibling relationships. Another girl, abused by her alcoholic father, tells how her commitment to art and a sympathetic teacher gave value to her life. The Afterword by the head of psychiatry at a metropolitan children’s hospital provides guidance to those seeking help.