Parental Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol Abuse Defined

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines alcohol abuse as "a pattern of drinking that results in harm to one̵7;s health, interpersonal relationships, or ability to work." Alcohol abuse leads to dependence on the substance, or alcoholism, which is a disease that parents must seek treatment to overcome. Alcohol abuse, however, can be as regular as daily drinking in excess or binging periodically on alcohol.

How the Family is Affected

• Parents who abuse alcohol thus put drinking before anything else in their lives, including the needs of the child. In fact, the abuse leads to behaviors that result in long-term and short-term harm to the child in the form of physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, accidents and more. The family income and social relationships are also jeopardized and eventually severed by parental alcohol abuse as well. Unemployment, divorce, poverty and loss of friendships and family ties are some of the social effects on the family.

Effects on the Children

• Children of parents who abuse alcohol are caught trying to live with an erratic person who is often drunk and is not capable of proper parenting. These children suffer from neglect in the forms of malnourishment from lack of proper meals, frequent illness and signs of physical abuse such as bruising or scars. The long-term effects on a child are related to mental health. The children often experience guilt, anxiety, depression, shame and frustration that manifest themselves later into low self-esteem, depression disorders, anxiety disorders, and problems in their social relationships as adults.

Seeking Help for Everyone

• Parental alcohol abuse is a condition that the entire family can overcome. The parents must commit themselves to a life without alcohol. Then, the family needs to seek the help to reverse the damage already done by the alcohol abuse. Family and individual counseling are the best options, but most families also seek help in support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous for the parent and Al-Anon for the rest of the family. Social programs are available to help the family resolve problems that arise from loss of income as well.