Alcoholism, Alcohol Rehab and the Family
Alcoholism and the Family
Alcoholism is commonly referred to as ‘the family disease’ in the substance abuse treatment and recovery field because it is just as damaging to family members as it is to the alcoholic. In fact, more family problems stem from alcohol abuse than any other source. According to the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration and the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services 76,000,000 have been affected by alcoholism in their family. That means that one out of every four families is traumatized by ‘the family disease.’
When a Parent Is An Alcoholic
If a woman is an alcoholic and actively drinking when she gets pregnant, her alcoholism affects the child from conception. Chances of birth defects, learning disabilities, miscarriage and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome are a risk even with just one or two drinks. For a pregnant alcoholic, the effects on the baby are severe. Children who grow up in families in which one or both of the parents are alcoholics tend to share a few characteristics:
· Guilt
· Fear
· Shame
· Depression
· Low self-esteem
· Fear of abandonment
· Co-dependency
· Loneliness
The risks of alcohol abuse in relationships with children can be disastrous for child development. Young children often have nightmares and issues with bed wetting and feel responsible for the fights and yelling that accompany alcoholism. They are often tense and cry easily. Older children are often self-conscious and depressed, have trouble in school, and difficulty developing strong friendships and relationships. They are more apt to develop phobias and become alcoholics themselves due to the low self-image that propels their parents’ alcoholism. Unstable home environments lead to early drug use, which in turn leads to a life of addiction.
When a Teenager Is an Alcoholic
When a child is an alcoholic, the disease can be just as disruptive to members of the family. Other siblings may act out in order to get some of the attention that seems to continually focus on the alcoholic. Parents are more apt to be depressed, spend more time at work, and in general, demonstrate unstable mood swings that shift in relation to the alcoholic teenager’s unpredictable behavior.
Parents may feel guilty about one child’s alcoholism and blame each other, causing further rifts in the family’s stability.
Finding Alcoholism Help
Whether or not the alcoholic turns to alcohol rehab, family members need their own recovery. There are a number of support groups and organizations focused on helping the family members of alcoholics. Local meetings, online meetings, and one on one therapy are all options. If you have trouble finding a support group you can call an alcohol rehab or addiction helpline. An addiction helpline can locate an alcohol rehab or support group for you in any part of the country. For additional information please call 1-800-99-DETOX.
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