Alcoholism doesn’t only affect the person with the addiction. It also affects those that are close with them. It can be especially difficult for families.
Fortunately, there are support groups for families of alcoholics. These groups help families better understand what their loved one is dealing with. It gives them the tools they need to aid them in recovery. This article will discuss what’s involved in an alcoholics support group for families and why they are so important.
How Does Alcoholism Affect a Family?
Common problems occur in families when a member struggles with alcohol.
Bad Relationships: When a person struggles with alcoholism, they often lie about their condition. This leads to a lack of trust, making it challenging to build a strong relationship between partners and children. Studies find that alcoholism lowers marital satisfaction and often leads to divorce.
Parental Neglect: Alcoholic parents often neglect their children’s emotional and physical needs. As a result, children often grow up with mental and physical issues of their own.
Domestic Abuse: 55% of domestic violence cases between partners occur when the perpetrator has been drinking. And physical abuse isn’t the only type of abuse that can happen in the relationship. Manipulation, insults, and harassment are also common.
Financial Issues: When a person has alcohol issues, they spend a good amount of their money on feeding their habit, sometimes as much as $1000 a month. This leaves the family with strained finances that further fuel troubled relationships.
Physical and Mental Issues: A person with dependency issues often suffers from physical conditions such as liver disease, digestive problems, heart conditions, and more. They may also develop mental issues like depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. This causes family members to spend a good amount of time and money caring for them. It can also cause them to suffer emotionally.
Is Alcoholism a “Family Disease”?
Yes, alcoholism is considered a family disease because it impacts the entire family. It causes spouses, children, and anyone else in the immediate family to suffer on a physical and emotional level. It leads to tension in a marriage that results in fighting, separation, and divorce.
It also negatively affects children.
Children of alcoholics will often suffer from depression, guilt, anxiety, anger, distrust, detachment, confusion, and embarrassment. They are likely to have trouble at school and develop issues socializing with others. They often deal with low self-esteem, fear of abandonment, risky behavior, and a distrust of authority figures.
Are There Support Groups for Families of Alcoholics?
Yes, there are support groups for family members of alcoholics. Al-Anon is a popular choice for many people.
Al-Anon is similar to AA in that it is a free, group meeting format. But instead of it being a gathering of alcoholics, it is a gathering of the families of alcoholics. Here are some things that are involved in group meetings:
- Family members share experiences and learn from one another.
- Teens get together to find ways to deal with their issues.
- Self-assessment quizzes are available to help you determine whether Al-Anon is right for you.
And Al-Anon isn’t your only option.
Therapists will often bring families into the recovery process, whether it be in a one-on-one or group meeting format. These support groups for families of alcoholics will help families understand what their loved one is going through. They will be provided with methods to support their loved ones through the recovery process in a way that is healthy for everyone involved.
How Rise in Malibu Can Help
If you are struggling with alcohol addiction, do not hesitate to reach out to Rise in Malibu. We offer private, en-suite rooms with scenic ocean views. We combine luxury accommodations with holistic, traditional, and modern treatments working out a customized plan that’s best suited to our patients’ needs.
Rise in Malibu integrates dual diagnosis treatment in Malibu that simultaneously addresses addiction and its underlying cause. We believe this is the best method for long-term recovery. We utilize a highly trained staff, including board-certified doctors and psychiatrists.
Don’t let alcoholism get the best of you. Contact Rise in Malibu today. We will give you the care you need to overcome dependency issues through our Southern California addiction treatment program.
