The Impact of Alcoholism on Families: Understanding and Coping with Addiction

Alcoholism has far-reaching effects on families, with consequences that can span multiple generations. When a family member struggles with alcoholism, those closest to them often find themselves grappling with financial difficulties, strained relationships, and harm to their own health and well-being.

At Priory, we recognize the profound impact that alcoholism can have on families. We have delved into the effects of alcoholism within a family, providing guidance on how to navigate addiction and outlining the support we offer as individuals embark on their journey to recovery.

How Alcoholism Affects the Family

1. Impact on Children - Children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of alcoholism within the household. They may experience feelings of guilt, mistakenly believing that they are responsible for the drinking and the inability to stop it. Frustration and anger can also arise as they struggle to comprehend why someone they care about is behaving in such a manner.

Alcoholism disrupts routines, resulting in erratic meal times, bedtime routines, and additional responsibilities for children to establish some semblance of order in the household. Their mood and behavior become unpredictable, making it challenging to build friendships and causing fear around attending school.

Older children of alcoholics may develop obsessive perfectionism, hoarding tendencies, isolation, and excessive self-consciousness as they grapple with feelings of being different from their peers. They may also encounter difficulties in school due to the disruptions caused by family life, making it challenging to focus on studying and establishing meaningful relationships.

These emotions and thoughts can carry into adulthood, leading to difficulties in forming healthy relationships, erratic behavior, poor decision-making, and negative self-perception. Feelings of anxiety, depression, and introversion that originated in childhood may persist.

1. Impact on Spouses and Partners - As a person succumbs to alcohol addiction, their focus often shifts, neglecting work in favor of drinking or dealing with the consequences of their drinking. This can result in a loss of income or financial strain for spouses and partners. They may also shoulder additional responsibilities concerning family and household matters.

Individuals with alcoholism may put themselves and others in unsafe or risky situations while under the influence or attempting to acquire alcohol. This can be emotionally draining and physically dangerous for those who care about them.

1. Co-dependency and Enabling Families - Families naturally strive to love and protect one another. When a family member has alcoholism, there can be a sense of shame that leads to attempts to conceal the problem. Loved ones may go to great lengths to help the individual overcome the troubles caused by alcohol. They may try to control or cure the addiction or even tolerate it to maintain family unity.

While these actions stem from good intentions, they often perpetuate the cycle of alcoholism and continue to impact the entire family. Seeking external support becomes crucial in breaking free from this cycle and allowing everyone to rebuild their lives away from addiction.

Coping Strategies for Dealing with Addiction in the Family - If you are facing alcoholism within your family, here are some steps you can take to mitigate the ongoing impact on yourself and those closest to you:

1. Accepting Addiction - Acknowledging that addiction is more than a mere bad habit takes time. It requires stepping back from your natural inclination to help and recognizing addiction as an illness that often necessitates professional intervention. Embracing addiction as an illness can provide some relief.

2. Breaking Patterns - Recognize addiction as an illness beyond your ability to change, ignore, or control. Reflect on your own behavior and explore ways to change your patterns, fostering an environment conducive to recovery for the person struggling with addiction.

3. Self-Esteem and Self-Worth - Dealing with the repercussions of addiction may have left you feeling socially withdrawn or neglected. Take steps toward family-wide recovery rather than solely focusing on the individual with addiction. Prioritize your own needs and desires.

4. Managing Emotions - It is common to experience a range of emotions, including anger and resentment, toward the person with addiction. While breaking free from the cycle of blame can be challenging, it is crucial to find healthy outlets to manage and express your anger.

5. Seeking Support - Connect with other families or individuals who have encountered similar experiences with addiction and family recovery. Sharing your journey with those who can relate will provide invaluable support and offer strategies that have proven helpful.