Isms’ are described as transference of addictive patterns of dysfunctional behaviour, passed down from generation to generation. For instance, if a mother was an alcoholic who never made it into recovery, her behaviour would leave a mark on her children, husband, etc. Unless her adult children join some sort of recovery programme and adopt the mindfulness practice, they will have very similar behaviour traits to their mother but minus the alcohol abuse. There is a strong possibility that they will become codependent and form relationships with other codependents or alcoholics.
Christopher Dines, The Kindness Habit: Transforming our Relationship to Addictive Behaviours
addiction, addiction-and-recovery, addictive-behaviour, addictiveness, alcoholism, codependency, family-dysfunction, generational-pain