Alcoholism: a Family Disease
Alcoholism: A Family Disease
Today, over 76 million American adults have been exposed to alcoholism in the family, and it is responsible for more family problems than any other single cause (Parsons). Alcoholism does not just take over the life of the alcoholic, but also the lives of the family. Every family member is affected differently, but they collectively share the pain and the suffering of living with an alcoholic. When the father is an alcoholic it has the greatest impact on the family. Not only does an alcoholic father take a huge toll on his family’s emotional and physical well being, but he also changes the dynamic of their lives.
Alcoholism brings many issues; one of the problems is financial burdens. Alcoholic fathers often lose his jobs due to their addiction, and have difficulty obtaining a new one (Parsons). With an unemployed father, the burdens fall upon the rest of the family. Bills begin to pile up, and the wife and children are often forced to give up their own time and valuables just to meet their basic needs. The need for alcohol to satisfy his addiction leads to longer struggles for his family. Alcoholic fathers will often spend all of the money he can get his hands on for alcohol, and any family attempts to curtail his money leads to other negative affects (Jackson). The alcoholic will even risk going to jail and resort to stealing alcohol when he cannot acquire any money; this leads to more money being drained out of the family in order to support their alcoholic father. In extreme cases he will even resort to family violence to get what he wants (Downs). Over seventy-five percent of domestic violence cases involve an alcoholic (Parsons). Money is only the start of the problem and it spreads its way through the nooks and crannies of all the aspects of his family life.
Financial strain due to an alcoholic husband increases tension in the marriage. When looking for a wife, the alcoholic often looks for someone who is not threatening
Today, over 76 million American adults have been exposed to alcoholism in the family, and it is responsible for more family problems than any other single cause (Parsons). Alcoholism does not just take over the life of the alcoholic, but also the lives of the family. Every family member is affected differently, but they collectively share the pain and the suffering of living with an alcoholic. When the father is an alcoholic it has the greatest impact on the family. Not only does an alcoholic father take a huge toll on his family’s emotional and physical well being, but he also changes the dynamic of their lives.
Alcoholism brings many issues; one of the problems is financial burdens. Alcoholic fathers often lose his jobs due to their addiction, and have difficulty obtaining a new one (Parsons). With an unemployed father, the burdens fall upon the rest of the family. Bills begin to pile up, and the wife and children are often forced to give up their own time and valuables just to meet their basic needs. The need for alcohol to satisfy his addiction leads to longer struggles for his family. Alcoholic fathers will often spend all of the money he can get his hands on for alcohol, and any family attempts to curtail his money leads to other negative affects (Jackson). The alcoholic will even risk going to jail and resort to stealing alcohol when he cannot acquire any money; this leads to more money being drained out of the family in order to support their alcoholic father. In extreme cases he will even resort to family violence to get what he wants (Downs). Over seventy-five percent of domestic violence cases involve an alcoholic (Parsons). Money is only the start of the problem and it spreads its way through the nooks and crannies of all the aspects of his family life.
Financial strain due to an alcoholic husband increases tension in the marriage. When looking for a wife, the alcoholic often looks for someone who is not threatening
Cited: Day, Barbara R. "Alcoholism and the Family." Marriage and Family Living 23.3 (1961): 253-58. JSTOR Sociology. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. Downs, William R. "Alcoholism As A Developing Family Crisis." Family Relations 31.1 (1982): 5. Academic Search Premier. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. Jackson, Joan K. "Alcoholism and the Family." The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 315.1 (1958): 90-98. JSTOR Sociology. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. Parsons, Tetyana. "Alcoholism and Its Effect on the Family." Alcoholism and Its Effect on the Family. AllPsych, 13 Dec. 2003. Web. 21 Oct. 2012.