Family Addiction In The Family

Family is an instrumental part in an addict’s addiction and recovery process. Many families are left feeling hopeless, and frustrated on how to help a loved one dealing with a substance use disorder. Some families will give up on the loved one because of the frustration this disease brings upon a family, and the lack of understanding of what this disease is capable of doing. Other families are willing to do whatever it takes to help and get that

In the 1980’s, professionals in the addictions field started to pay attention to the ways that individual family members and the family adapted to the behaviors of addicted loved ones (White, 1998). It was discovered that family members of addicts or alcoholics may unknowingly support

According to the Bowen Center for the Study of the Family (2017), the family systems theory is defined as, “a theory that of human behavior that views the family as an emotional unit and uses systems thinking to describe the complex interactions in the unit” (para. 1). When applying the family systems theory to the family that I assessed, I found that this family lacks emotional support from one another. The children in this family feels as if their mother is choosing her addiction over them. Therefore, based on the family systems theory, this family lacks an emotional strong unit. If drug abuse was not a factor in the family dynamics, then they could possibly have a strong family

Many of us probably know somebody in the family who is/was an addict or know somebody who has/had an addict as a family member. Addiction has a huge impact on not only those who are addicted, but those surrounding the addict. The family members are constantly picking up the pieces left behind by the addict. In Beautiful Boy, Nic’s parents and siblings are constantly trying to fix Nic’s mess. Nic directly impacts his family by stealing from them, lying to them and even ruining their belongings such as their car. Unfortunately, his addiction also impacted his younger siblings who fully understood what was happening to Nic and saw his transition to drug use. Personally, I know many addicts most of whom have lost connection with their family members because they are fed up with what comes along with having an addict as a family member. There is the constant lies, stealing, and let downs and a lot of family members give up on the addict because of the amount of stress that it brings. Those who stick around to try and help the addict are often emotionally hurt and are constantly stressing about what could be going on with their addicted family member. A family member who is very attached to the addict can become co-dependent. Mental Health America states that, “[the family member] has good intentions. They try to take care of a person who is experiencing difficulty, but the caretaking becomes compulsive and defeating. Co-dependents often take on a martyr’s role and become

Gruber, K.J., & Taylor M.F. (2006). A family perspective for substance abuse: Implications from the literature. Journal of Social

Chemical dependency or rather drug abuse can bring an adverse change in the relationships with family and loved ones. Addictions affect chemicals in the brain which may lead to a change in the behavior of the drug abuser. Chemical dependants need help from outside so that they can recognize that they have an addiction problem as well as remaining sober from the substance. This paper discusses the issue of chemical dependency and the family. It will look at the various appropriate measures of intervention for addictive families. It will also look at the barriers that are associated with educating families and how they can be overcome. Secondly there will be identification of family behaviors that can cause harm and not help the addict. Finally the issue of how family members can negatively impact treatment outcomes will also be looked at.

Addiction is not an individual problem but something that affects the whole family. Stevens and Smith (2013) state that families will “readjust to redistributing responsibilities to accommodate the user” (pp. 247-248). Children learn to adapt to their dysfunctional family, including taking more responsibilities on when their parent cannot because of their addiction. Families need to be included in treatment so that they can learn positive ways to help their family member without enabling them. The Bible states in Ecclesiastes 4:9 “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed” (New Living Translation). God designed humans to need each other that is why he created Eve as Adam’s helpmate. Having a support system

Substance abuse is an issue that continues to grow in America at an alarming rate. Families are an important factor for the onset of substance abuse as well as the sustainment of the addiction (Gruber & Taylor, 2006). The National Institute of Drug Abuse defines substance abuse as “A chronic disease characterized by drug seeking and use that is compulsive, or difficult to control, despite harmful consequences” (“Understanding Drug Use and Addiction,” 2016). In order to prevent relapse, success is found in the formation of familial and social relationships (Baharudin et al., 2014). Substance abuse is a major stressor in the family system and it not only impacts the family’s relationships with those outside of the family but

The majority of children living in a dysfunctional family with a drug addicted parent will not develop a secure attachment with another individual, where the relationship revolves around intimacy and mutual understanding. Parents who are codependent on each other have learned to regard the dysfunction as normal, and their children could be susceptible to numerous scenarios. They could become the target of their parent’s abuse, either sexual or physical. The children of codependent parents could easily gain access to drugs or alcohol since no one is paying attention to the child. The codependent parents are preoccupied with the alcoholic or drug addicted parent, and they might never bother to realize their child is in grave danger. The codependent parent’s children might never recover fully from the trauma, abuse, or neglect inflicted on them. In addition, the children learn to become adults who repeat the vicious cycle of domestic violence or abuse themselves. Children of codependent parent might grow resilient despite

Although all sorts of families can be devastated by addiction, but single parent units (the most common lower class structure) are the most obscured. Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches supports, “In every family unit, each person plays a role (or multiple roles) to help the family function better and to maintain a level of homeostasis, stability and balance. When substance abuse is added to this dynamic, the family roles naturally shift to adjust to the new behaviors associated with drug or alcohol use, and to continue maintaining order and balance.”4 In single parent units there is an inability of a second parent to fill the void role of the addicted parent. The National Center for Biotechnology Information states, “Frequently, children may act as surrogate spouses for the parent who abuses substances. For example, [young] children may develop elaborate systems of denial to protect themselves against that reality of the parent’s addiction. Because that option does not exist in a single‐parent household with a parent who abuses substances, children are likely to behave in a manner that is not age‐appropriate to compensate for the parental deficiency.”2 So a child growing up in a compromised family unit where addiction is present may develop altered norms and mature into an addict themselves.4

Addiction is a brain disorder defined by the compulsive engagement in rewarding behavior, despite negative consequences (Angres and Bettinardi–Angres 696). From the outside looking in it can be easy to judge and condemn adicts for pursuing their vice. However, don’t let anyone fool you into thinking that addicts are just people with weaker morals or insufficient spiritual guidance. Addiction is a medical disease with a complex etiology. Social dislocation and family stress appear to contribute significantly to the development of the disease. Social dislocation is the removal of an individual from their community, family or friends. The lack of social support can be devastating to an individual. It can create a painful void that they may attempt

In the article of The Impact of Substance Use Disorders on Families and Children: From Theory to Practice, it refers to the effects of substance abuse on children. In the article the attachment of nurturing, and socialization for humans in current society remains solely up to the family. Each family member is affected by the behavior choice of substance abuse which clings to the family unit and gives impaired needs. The family environment is damaged and it leads to all kinds of problems in the family. The environment have a great impact on the effects of substance abuse on children and it effects the entire family and the behavior of the child. As children transition into adulthood they are still affected of what happened to them in their

The family is the fundamental source of attachment, socialization, and nurturing (Zimic & Jakic, 2012). When attachment needs are not met as the result of substance use multiple aspects of the family are affected. These include experiencing unmet developmental needs, poorly developed familial relationships, financial difficulties, and emotional and behavioral problems. In addition, children living in this environment have an increased risk of developing attachment and substance use disorders as well (Zimic & Jakic, 2012). The consequences of substance use disorders have a profound impact on the family system (Landers, Howsare, & Byrne, 2013). The family environment carries information indicating how substance use disorders begin and evolve. Substance use disorders create a dysfunctional family unit perpetuating emotional and behavioral patterns that result in negative outcomes (Landers et al.,

A few problems when dealing with substance abuse in the family are that there is not enough treatment for the family as a whole. In the chapter the books points out that you have to help every area of the individual stressors, perceptions, resources, problem-solving skills, coping skills, and bidirectional effects (Price ,2015). There is more treatment options for the individual person only. In order to meet all these needs you are going to need to attack the root of the problem. I believe the treatment should be both individual and family focused for this reason. You need to help the abuser out as a whole and still focus on them

These are strengths for using family systems to understand the aetiology of alcohol dependency. It provides a unique way to conceptualise substance abuse as dysfunction stemming from the family system (Bowen, 1974). It aids