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Essay / Alcohol and the Family - 1683
Alcohol and the Family In the United States alone, there are 28 million children of alcoholics - seven million of these children are under the age of eighteen years. Every day, these children experience the horrors of living with an alcoholic parent. 40 to 50% of children of alcoholics grow up to become alcoholics themselves. Others develop eating disorders or become workaholics. Children of alcoholics receive mixed messages, inconsistent messages, predictable betrayal, and sometimes physical and sexual abuse from their parents. They are made to grow up too quickly because they have to help maintain the family structure by doing housework and taking care of siblings since the alcoholic is not doing his part. Children play roles to help hide the illness. These roles help distract people from the real problem and serve to protect the family so that it can continue to function. Family members will take on five roles: the enabler, the hero, the scapegoat, the lost child and the mascot. The enabler is usually the spouse or parent of the alcoholic. He takes on the normal tasks that the alcoholic would normally do, such as cleaning the house, taking care of the children, or even something as simple as walking the dog. The enabler also makes excuses for the alcoholic. He can call his wife's boss and tell him she's sick when in reality she's at home with a hangover. Or he might explain to a neighbor that the living room lamp broke because the two-year-old accidentally knocked it off the table when in reality it was thrown across the room in a crash. of drunkenness. This act of concealment ultimately only harms the family. The enabler makes excuses and lies to hide the real act...... middle of paper ......besides the effects of alcoholism on the family, one might think that it is a life full of endless troubles. However, there is help that should start in the school system. Schools must educate children about alcohol abuse and establish an ongoing relationship of trust with children who need help. Children are not responsible for their parents' actions and they need someone to help them understand that it is not their fault and that they can break the cycle. This way, children will know that they have at least one person to turn to for help and that they are not alone.Bibliography:1. Children of Alcoholism, Barbara L. Wood, New York University Press, 19872. Working with Children of Alcoholics, Bryan E. Robinson, Lexington Books, 19893. Drug Treatment: A Family Systems Perspective, Edith M. Freeman, Sage Publications, 1993