How families are affected by Alcoholism in Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna and other parts of British Columbia by Options Okanagan Treatment Center in Kelowna, British Columbia treating Opiate and Alcohol addiction and recovery.
If you would like to know how alcoholism affects families, then the first thing you need to know is what exactly alcoholism means. The information that follows will help to shed some light on the effects that alcoholism can have on families, as well as what this disease is.
Alcoholism is a family and health problem. The effects that this disease has on the alcoholic can be quite dangerous, and in the process the family also gets victimized. Many people would like to have an exact definition of the term alcoholism, whether or not it can be treated, and if it is hereditary. All of the answers to those questions are right here. Each year, numerous households all over the world lose an adult, in the form of a father or mother, to alcoholism. Each year, alcoholism causes separation of families and divorces. Each year, numerous babies are born with birth defects and suffer from having Fetal Alcoholic Syndrome (FAS). Each year, more alcoholics enroll in a rehabilitation center all around the world. Those are only a couple of examples showing how families are affected by alcoholism; there are many more undoubtedly. It is more likely that children of alcoholics will become alcoholics themselves. This and much more is provided in the following information.
Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Before knowing how families are affected by alcoholism, it is very important that you have a good understanding of the actual concept of alcoholism. Alcoholism was formerly known as dipsomania. It is among the most common of all addictions seen today. Medically, it is also referred to as a treatable disease and disabling addictive disorder. Individuals suffering from alcoholism are referred to as alcoholics. Alcoholics are aware of the dangers associated with this addiction, but compulsively drink every day anyway, and in quantities that they are not able to control. Alcoholism is among the leading factors that cause family disputes currently, as well as deaths. Magnus Huss first used the term in 1849. The term alcohol abuse refers to when an alcoholic continues to drink despite being able to see the negative effects that his drinking is having on his social and personal life. The term alcoholic dependence refers to when an individual drinks even after having been diagnosed with having health problems that relate to consuming excessive amounts of alcohol. There is a major difference medically between those two terms. However, common people refer to all of it as just alcoholism. Now that you have a better understanding of what all of those terms mean, we can now proceed to see what affects alcoholism has.
Examples Of How Families Are Affected By Alcoholism
Finances
A family’s finances are hit very badly by alcoholism. Alcohol is expensive to buy, and especially when you take into consideration the amount that is consumed by alcoholics. The money spent on drinking could go into the family’s savings instead. There are many different examples of individuals who have become bankrupt due to their addiction to alcohol. The health problems that this addiction causes must be treated, and this affects the budget as well. If an alcoholic must visit a rehab, that will also cost money. An individual’s professional life is affected by alcoholism, and he may need to change jobs on a regular basis, which will also impact the family’s finances.
Unstable Emotions
Here is the answer if you are wanting to know how alcoholism can permanently affect families. It definitely isn’t easy to live with an alcoholic. The continuous feeling that you are doing something wrong, the guilt, the withdrawal symptoms, all add to the frustrations, and adds up to suffocation eventually. The frustration affects the children and spouse as well. Mental and physical abuse caused by alcohol is among the leading problems that is faced by households these days. The victim becomes quite vulnerable. There is a great deal of anxiety, and this can lead to depression as well. All of these unstable emotions can cause the home environment to be quite unstable.
Children’s Tortured Mental Development
For children, having alcoholic parents is a complete nightmare. Alcoholism causes many problems like violence. These kinds of problems affect children in numerous different ways. Children don’t feel like they belong to the family, and have a difficult time with being accepted. At times, some parents may even blame their children for their drinking problem. This makes them feel guilty for something that is completely not their fault. In order to escape this guilt, they also begin to drink. That is one of the main reasons why alcoholism has a tendency to run in families. Another related aspect is women who drink while they are pregnant. That can lead to FAS, as discussed previously, and the baby can grow abnormally. There are different programs out there that are available for children who have drinking parents. Those children are referred to as Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACOAs) and Children of Alcoholics (COAs). Those children may become affected by depression and are very impulsive.
Dangers of Infidelity
A majority of the women wanting to know how families are affected by alcoholism, have suspected that there is another woman that is part of their husband’s life. It is certainly not a hollow doubt, since men who are heavy drinkers have a tendency to find comfort outside of their homes, where their drinking isn’t as likely to be questioned. Many alcoholics participate in infidelity. It appears to be a good way to escape from all of the pressures of responsibility. Basically they just want to have someone tell them how their drinking is something that is normal. At times, some men also indulge in prostitution, which is another effect that alcoholism can have. These problems can all affect the togetherness and stability of the family.
Social Pressures
There are many social pressures that start to affect the family with an alcoholic member. Alcoholics are well known within their social circles, since they drink in front of everybody and not only at home. The way the alcoholic behave towards his family within the social circle is often an embarrassment that isn’t very easy for the family to deal with. Whenever the family is not with the alcoholic, individuals will see the problem and mention it to family members. Children may get teased at college and school. Social functions and gatherings become off limits, since attending them would cause insult for both parties.
If someone close to you is an alcoholic, try to help him and show the person what effects his drinking has on his family. Not everybody has a family, and that is why it is very important to value those we are close to. Alcoholism has disastrous effects on friends as well as families. This can leave victims feeling all alone. Being alone isn’t something everyone is able to deal with. An addiction never does anyone any good, so do whatever you can to help yourself before other people must!
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