Alcohol Abuse is Destroying the Family

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Alcohol Abuse- Destroying the Family
Alcohol abuse has the power to break up families. Alcoholism usually begins with a person excessively drinking and abusing alcohol. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is often referred to as a "family illness" because it impacts the whole family, not just the person who consumes alcohol. According to research, households affected by alcoholism are more likely to have a poor degree of interpersonal relationships and lack the freedom to express themselves. Spouses with at least one alcoholic have more unpleasant experiences than spouses who are not influenced by alcoholism. Trust is the foundation of every relationship. However, alcoholics often cheat or project their issues on others. This leads to family members becoming resentful of one another. As a consequence of the disorder, their lives, habits, and perceptions can be permanently altered. They can suffer fear, depression, and guilt. Living in a household where a member has AUD will result in destructive behavior, conflict, and broken relationships, putting a lot of pressure on the family. We will further discuss how consumed in their own needs for the next drink; alcohol abusers destroy their families and relationships closest to them.
Alcoholism leads to damaged family relationships. It has been shown that excessive alcohol use affects a person's ability to act as a parent and spouse and how they relate to the daily running of a family. Excessive alcohol consumption leads to emotional unavailability, therefore, pushing the family members away. It leads to memory loss, leaving individuals unable to remember conversations; this adds to their inability to be truly emotionally available, as they are not fully present for their family members (Nzinga). Due to a lack of self-love, alcoholics are unable to show love. They have a heightened sense of ego, shame, and guilt that makes them play the victim. Consequently, they avoid being accountable for their actions, and the consequences of pain and drama are inflicted on the family members. Because alcoholism is a disease, the disease's toxic characteristic spreads to those closely involved (Staff). Therefore, overdependence on alcohol leads to family destruction.
Children of alcoholic parents are more likely to have cognitive, physical, and emotional issues. Children may be neglected or subjected to physical and emotional violence due to a parent's inability to recognize their behavior due to the influence of alcohol. They can also have issues with their social growth due to a parent battling alcoholism refusing or unable to sustain the child's endeavors. Since the children lack necessities, they can do anything, including lying, to purchase food. Parental alcohol abuse increases the chances of a child being an alcoholic in the future. When children grow, they opt for alcohol as a way to deal with or escape from the traumas of victimization and depression that they faced as children (Hoyme et al. 424). They drink as a way to enhance their self-esteem and gain control over their experiences. Parents cannot successfully tame their children's bad conduct because they do not have the moral responsibility to fulfill their parenting duties. The parents lack good moral behaviors that they should pass on to their children. When children are not cared for, they will lose confidence and, as a result, will turn to addiction, creating further issues in society, their home, and their bodies. Therefore, alcohol abuse immensely affects children's growth.
Alcohol abuse drains the family finances drastically. Family members who depend on an addict are more likely to face financial difficulties due to the alcoholic's drinking behavior. An addict's priorities change, and the amount of money that is usually allocated for family uses is channeled to buying alcoholic drinks. Financial hardships can often arise due to accidents that arise due to drunkenness, such as road accidents, cost of treatment for diseases associated with excessive alcohol, cirrhosis, and cancer, and compensation for damages caused by a drunk person. Work productivity can be affected by alcohol abuse, therefore, affecting the earning potential. Alcoholics may need to quit their jobs earlier than they are supposed to manage their health issues. Also, alcohol abuse leads to an increase in debt as they are more likely to go partying and gambling which drains money easily. When an individual continues to drink excessively, the gap between expected income and expenditures will widen (Brenoff). As a consequence, the individual's stability may be severely impacted. Although the expense of rehab care may seem to be an extra strain, it is one of the most important ways to reclaim one's sobriety and personal or family finances.
Domestic violence is the systematic pattern or power perpetrated by one partner against another. Alcohol causes persons to lose control and power over other people. Under the influence of alcohol, an individual or people tend to lose control of their inhibitions (Thompson). This causes high chances of a person showing abusive behaviors. Alcohol causes the brain to be rewired in seeking a substance that endures pain despite consequences and future behavior. Violence can affect children due to the uncontrollable behavior of adults. Children raised in an environment where parents are alcohol abusers can increase the chances of the child growing up being an abuser. Domestic violence is not just physical abuse; it can occur in many other forms like sexual, financial, and psychological abuse. Alcohol violence can enhance other people's violent responses. Alcohol addiction may raise the likelihood of violence in men who believe it is acceptable to abuse women. In most cases, these men experience socioeconomic hardship. Alcohol affects the ability of a user to perceive and integrate information differently. This leads to misunderstandings which end up leading to violence. Violence among pregnant women can pose a health risk and cause challenges, including perinatal substances and the likelihood of premature labor.
Many family members' physical and mental con...