The most obvious and damaging effects are on the children. Alcoholism in pregnant mothers is a serious issue which causes side effects and complications in the fetus and is known as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, very real problems are caused for the baby because the mother drank during pregnancy. But this post will be more concerned with more subtle influence on the family, influence of a social nature, or influence which causes other family members to become alcoholics.
Family's most basic relationship is that of genetic information. In recent years, the phrase 'alcoholism gene' may have reared its head. Although it seems that genetics can predispose a person to drink more or to not enjoy drinking more, there is definitely no set gene which causes alcoholism. This means that alcoholism arises from different genetic sources. Of course, one's family is largely responsible for one's own genes, but since there is no individual alcohol gene, from whence does it rear its ugly head?
Dr. Robert J. Ackerman, in his paper Alcoholism and the Family, describes a vast variety of influences on children with alcoholism and the family, "whether or not a parent is recovering from alcoholism or still drinking... sex of the child and sex of the alcoholic parent... age of the child ... race... ordinal position ... socio-economic factors of the family ... and offsetting factors which can be either people or institutions that have had a positive impact on the children." So the factors are very diverse and complicated.
Alcoholics have many different reasons and excuses to drink but the effects are often all too similar. Children of alcoholics are affected academically by their parent's or parents' alcoholism. Children become delinquents, lose self confidence, and don't learn how to deal with stress in positive ways. An alcoholic's child will often blame themselves for the alcoholism. Forcing the blame onto themselves is unhealthy but it is a natural reaction to parental behavior, just as children of divorce often believe they are responsible. Children of alcoholics are also four times more likely to become alcoholics themselves. Again, part of that likelihood stems from genetics, but also behavior by influence is a large factors.
The social relationship families have is important, especially to children. Children use their parents as role models unconsciously, especially at a young age. When beginning a new feat that the child has never done before, such as swinging a baseball bat, they will imitate it how they have seen a parent doing the same action. This can lead to children believing that alcohol abuse is just how to deal with stress.
Children of alcoholics are a common problem in schools. A list of warning signs from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry on how to spot a child of an alcoholic is as follows:
- Failure in school; truancy
- Lack of friends; withdrawal from classmates
- Delinquent behavior, such as stealing or violence
- Frequent physical complaints, such as headaches or stomachaches
- Abuse of drugs or alcohol; or
- Aggression towards other children
- Risk taking behaviors
- Depression or suicidal thoughts or behavior
With such a wide variety of reactions, it is hard to pin down a description of a child affected by alcoholism. The main reason being alcoholism is such a general term. Alcoholics themselves can be withdrawn, drinking in solitude. They can be abusive, physically, emotionally, or even sexually. They can be predictable, drinking in patterns, or they can be entirely sporadic and chaotic in their drinking.
A complicated and broad problem has complicated and broad effects. So much so, that it is actually difficult to determine the effects. Are problem children difficult because of alcoholism in the family? Are family members of the problem child alcoholics because the child is difficult? Or is it a cycle? It is a chicken-and-the-egg situation. Ultimately, the parent should break the cycle, as the older, more mature member. The parents are the ones who have the power to stop, the children cannot stop their parents' alcoholism.
I have personally dealt with alcoholism in my own family, and from more than one family member. And I have seen multiple types of alcoholic behavior and I have seen abuse result from it. This has definitely influenced me to be wary of alcohol and to make sure I never slip that far down the slope. There are many who choose to avoid alcohol entirely because of alcoholism in the family, but I will not take it that far. If I did that, it would still have power over me, in a way, so I choose to treat it in a normal fashion, but be cautious of myself. After all, because it is in my nuclear family, chances are I could very well become or be an alcoholic.
Although alcoholism has fallen out of popular eye, it is still a very serious social problem. According to the NIH, 18 million Americans have the disorder, about 5.73% of Americans. And every one of those 18 million has a family who is harmed by their alcoholism. Parents blame themselves for their children's drinking and children blame themselves for their parents'. It is a problem that doesn't have a cure, only a way to manage it. There is no drug which lowers all alcoholic's urge to drink, although attempts have been made towards one. It is difficult to come at a problem when the only solution is to get someone who is dependent on something to stop using that very thing. Groups like Alcoholics Anonymous have worked well for many people, just providing support and guidance.
It is important to keep problems in public attention even if they aren't easily solved. When problems first appear everyone hears of them, but they become 'old news' quickly and disappear from the public eye. Alcoholism is still around, still in about 1 in 17 Americans, and it still affects their families too.
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