Alcoholism Effects On Family

An alcoholic can completely disrupt and destroy a family and create harmful effects to a person’s life that can last a lifetime. Alcoholism effects on family are very evident to those who have suffered from pain and violence that have been caused by the person in the influence of alcohol. It could be the father, the mother, or anyone in the family—the cycle goes on untreated until such time that everyone in the house gets has been disturbed and destroyed by the alcoholism effects on family.

Figures show that 76 million adults in the United States have been been subject to alcoholism in the family at some point in their lives. A pregnant woman, for example, suffers from alcoholism with the unborn child included in the process. As alcohol is likewise distributed to her body, it is also carried down to its placenta, where the membrane that joins the mother and child’s blood systems are located. It is also very important to note that the level of alcohol concentration in the pregnant woman’s body is the same as her baby’s. Thus, it is very dangerous to drink alcohol in the period of pregnancy as this can often lead to serious diseases and physical defects on the fetus even before the child is born. As a result, the baby is born underweight or malnourished, noticeably shorter than normal babies. Children can also suffer from brain and skull deformities, and central nervous system can also be damaged, which might lead to intellectual incapacity, or even retardation.

Children who are born in the an alcoholic family usually have problems with self-esteem, social interaction or intellectual performance. Many of these individuals have uncontrolled feelings of resentment, rejection, loneliness, and guilt, all of which can also lead to suicidal tendencies if left ignored by the parents. Most of these children also develop poor image of themselves in the public, or can also be excessively self-conscious.

Alcoholism effects on family can be greatly aggravated by lack of proper communication and counseling. Other behavioral problems reported to arise from this condition include stealing, lying, and fighting. Most children of alcoholics also find it hard to express themselves, as a result of their inability to predict the mood and behavior of their parents.

Obviously, crime and violence are two strongest alcoholism effects on family. Other crimes include incest and battering which are also attributed to the alcoholic’s addictive drinking habit. Self-pity and fear of contact are also the common reactions to alcoholism effects on family. Because victims tend to blame themselves for these crimes, they are less likely to confess for the committed violence or incest.

Alcoholism effects on family can indeed last even up to the person’s adulthood, and can give a very high tendency for the children to be alcoholic themselves at some point in their lives. If this cycle repeats itself for generations, there is a very high possibility that the alcoholism effects in the family can also go on unnoticed, even after the pain, violence, or crime has been committed by the alcoholic.