Alcoholism: A Family Disease How Alcoholism Affects Families

A review of the literature found a significant relationship between alcohol and domestic violence — with one 2020 study in Australia citing alcohol as a factor in roughly 24% to 54% of family and domestic violence police reports. Alcohol can greatly increase the chance of aggressive behavior in some people and often plays a role in intimate partner violence. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration notes that families that are affected by alcohol problems have high levels of confusion and stress.

Alcoholism: A Family Disease – How Alcohol Addiction Affects Families

If the addict commits to alcohol addiction treatment, some friendships can be rebuilt. But a lot of times, the crumbling of a friendship is a permanent loss that hurts both people. When it comes to the effects of alcoholism on families, children tend to be the most severely affected. All they will see is that your behaviour is changing in ways that they cannot process.

THE ROLE OF FAMILY-INVOLVED TREATMENT IN FOSTERING RECOVERY

The specific outcome question used in the present study was 90 Days Consumed Any Amount of Alcohol. Although many Oxford House residents are poly-substance abusers, the present study did not examine drug use outcomes because the Important People Inventory was designed to measure specific support for alcohol but not drug use. A parent with a SUD is 3 times more likely to physically or sexually abuse their child. The sequalae of this is that these children are more than 50% more likely to be arrested as juveniles, and 40% more likely to commit a violent crime (USDHHS, 1996).

• Attachment theory provides a way of understanding the development and quality of relationships between family members.
• It is well established that alcohol misuse can lead to serious financial problems, but not only because of the actual money spent on alcohol.

Set Healthy Expectations

Dr. McCrady is the author of a therapist manual and a client workbook on Alcohol Behavioral Couple Therapy, a treatment that is discussed briefly in this paper. She receives royalties from the sale of these publications and also receives payments for workshops to train practitioners in the use of Alcohol Behavioral Couple Therapy. Dr. McCrady’s research on Alcohol Behavioral Couple Therapy and the B-FIT treatment discussed in this paper has been supported by grants from https://ecosoberhouse.com/ NIAAA. Dr. Flanagan is Principal Investigator of an NIAAA-sponsored grant using the Alcohol Behavioral Couple Therapy treatment manual. There are no other competing financial interests or other conflicts of interest to declare. One new direction for dyadic AUD treatment is the integration of existing and emerging modalities with electronic and technologically based adaptations (e.g., smartphone/online access, e-health [electronic health], m-health [mobile health]).

Alcohol Abuse and Marital Problems

The sample was ethnically diverse, with 58.4% European American, 34.0% African American, 3.5% Hispanic/Latino, and 4% others. At baseline, the average age of the sample was 38.4 and the average education level was 12.6 years. Regarding marital status, 49% were single/never married; 46.2% were divorced, widowed, or separated; and only 4.8% were married. With respect to employment, 69.3% reported being employed full-time, 13.9% part-time, 11.6% unemployed, and 3.8% retired/disabled.

Although evidence is conflicting, some behavioral changes appear to occur in children, adolescents, and adults who had a parent with AUD. Although the roles of genetics and childhood experiences are intertwined, these children may be more susceptible to substance use and other issues. They give love, stability and the support children need, and can mitigate some of the negative impacts of parental alcohol misuse [50]. Most people who abuse alcohol don’t abuse their partners, but a large proportion of people who abuse their partners also abuse alcohol. One of alcohol’s side effects is that it increases the likelihood of misunderstanding other people’s behavior or motives. As a result, it can cause some people to feel that their violence is a justifiable response.

The literature also is clear that improved access to AUD treatments among diverse populations is needed. It is crucial to improve synergy between existing alcohol research and the treatment community as well as the vast population of individuals in need of AUD treatment and their partners and families. Progress toward meeting these goals can be facilitated how does alcohol affect relationships through increased collaboration with community partners to develop culturally informed modifications to research inclusion, AUD assessment, and intervention. Studies indicate that between one third and two thirds of child maltreatment cases involve some degree of substance use (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 1996).

Common patterns in families with SUDs

• The sequalae of this is that these children are more than 50% more likely to be arrested as juveniles, and 40% more likely to commit a violent crime (USDHHS, 1996).
• A 2012 rapid evidence review into ‘the needs and experiences of children and young people where there is parental alcohol misuse’ [13] identified many adverse outcomes for these children, including experiences of violence and family conflict.
• Alcohol use disorder (AUD), commonly called alcoholism, is often called a “family disease” because it impacts more people than just the individual with alcohol addiction.
• Some programs may even provide community-based resources for families, such as housing, employment, childcare, healthcare, and legal services.