Alcoholic Family Research Paper
Alcoholism Affects The Entire Family
When one thinks of alcoholism, we initially think of the alcoholic. We think of the tragic consequences of alcohol abuse on the abuser, his community, and society. What isn’t always apparent, however, is how alcoholism affects the entire family. In this paper I will illustrate how families in alcoholic homes are sick and need recovery as well. It’s easy to blame our problems on the alcoholic, unfortunately, growing up with an alcoholic forces the family to change in order to accommodate the chaos caused by the drinker.
What is normal? Normal is a nebulous term at best. Claudia Black discusses the clearest indicator of a “…smoothly working family is consistency.” (1) On the contrary, “…living in the alcoholic home…inconsistency and unpredictability are considered normal.” (2) While some alcoholics have less of an effect on the family unit, “Steinglass makes a distinction between alcoholic families, in which the family is organized by the alcoholism and the members’ reaction to it, and families with alcoholism, which have a sick member whose illness causes distortions, but does not dominate family life.”(3) …show more content…
Rules-“All families operate according to a recognizable set of principles …” 2. Roles- “…a universal aspect of family operation, defining each member’s function in the family” 3. Communication-“Family members perpetuate rules and roles by communicating their intentions and needs through a variety of means, both verbal and non
When one thinks of alcoholism, we initially think of the alcoholic. We think of the tragic consequences of alcohol abuse on the abuser, his community, and society. What isn’t always apparent, however, is how alcoholism affects the entire family. In this paper I will illustrate how families in alcoholic homes are sick and need recovery as well. It’s easy to blame our problems on the alcoholic, unfortunately, growing up with an alcoholic forces the family to change in order to accommodate the chaos caused by the drinker.
What is normal? Normal is a nebulous term at best. Claudia Black discusses the clearest indicator of a “…smoothly working family is consistency.” (1) On the contrary, “…living in the alcoholic home…inconsistency and unpredictability are considered normal.” (2) While some alcoholics have less of an effect on the family unit, “Steinglass makes a distinction between alcoholic families, in which the family is organized by the alcoholism and the members’ reaction to it, and families with alcoholism, which have a sick member whose illness causes distortions, but does not dominate family life.”(3) …show more content…
Rules-“All families operate according to a recognizable set of principles …” 2. Roles- “…a universal aspect of family operation, defining each member’s function in the family” 3. Communication-“Family members perpetuate rules and roles by communicating their intentions and needs through a variety of means, both verbal and non