Is Alcohol Abuse Hurting Your Family?

Alcohol abuse affects every member of the family, not just the person with an alcohol abuse disorder. For family members, living in an uncertain environment with constant disruptions makes it difficult to live a normal life. Alcoholism strains relationships and impacts how children socialize, creating walls that sometimes take a lifetime to break down.

Participating in alcohol rehab in Florida can help your family start to pick up the pieces and learn how to support a family member in treatment and address their own issues. Therefore, call us today at 866.605.0532.

Alcohol Abuse and Children

Children who grow up with positive role models and stable family life tend to thrive. Having a family member with an alcohol use disorder creates instability and confusion. Both parents tend to be wrapped up in the aftermath of alcoholism. Children grow up watching one parent act as an enabler while the other abuses alcohol. Some children suffer from child abuse as well as psychological effects.

There are many long-term effects of growing up with an alcohol use disorder in the family. Children may struggle with trust, intimacy, and self-esteem issues. They may also develop an addiction to alcohol or drugs in order to cope with the pain they experience.

It is important for both parents to seek help if one has an alcohol use disorder. The children will benefit from seeing their parents getting help and working on their own issues. They need to know that they are not responsible for the problems in the family and that they are loved no matter what. With time and support, these children can go on to live healthy, happy lives.

The sooner you sign up for a 12 step program in Florida, the sooner your family can heal.

The Enabling Spouse

Alcohol abuse can cost your family dearly in terms of mental, emotional, and financial well-being. If the person under the influence of alcohol doesn’t admit they have a problem, it’s difficult to help them. An enabling spouse covers for the alcoholic and ignores destructive behavior impacting the rest of the family. Often, both parents need counseling to achieve a full recovery for the person with alcohol use disorder and those who love them. 

The first step in helping an alcoholic is admitting there’s a problem. Denial is common, but it only hurts the person with alcohol use disorder and those who love them. An enabling spouse makes excuses and covers up for the alcoholic, which perpetuates the addiction. In order to get help, both parents need to be on board and admit there’s a problem. Counseling can help mend the relationship and get the family on track for a healthy future.

If you’re an enable spouse, it’s time to seek help for yourself. You’re not doing anyone any favors by continuing to cover up for the alcoholic. By admitting there’s a problem and seeking counseling, you can start to mend the broken relationship and help your loved one get the treatment they need. With help, you can create a healthy future for yourself and your family.

Men’s or Women’s Alcohol Rehab Program in Florida

Those in the middle of an addiction to alcohol probably don’t realize their impact on those who care about them. However, their family members suffer in several ways. The lack of trust and broken promises can create trust issues that can take years to overcome. Also, children and spouses of those with alcohol use disorder feel that their needs are forgotten and that they are not important. 

An unstable income can impact the financial security of the whole family. Also, pressures exacerbated by alcohol addiction can cause stress and conflict between other family members. When left untreated, alcoholism can rob years of quality time from families. 

Everyone in the family may feel shame and responsibility for causing the person to become an alcoholic. Deceit and lies sometimes forced family members to cover up for the person dependent on alcohol. In short, alcohol abuse impacts generations of family members. Encourage your loved one to seek help at a 12-step program in Florida if your family needs a chance at a new beginning. 

Alcohol Abuse Can Run in Families

Unfortunately, children who grow up with a family member addicted to alcohol may come to think of this as normal behavior. This can cause other family members to turn to alcohol as an escape from the pressures at home. 

Here are some signs of alcohol abuse that come with living with a person with untreated alcoholism: 

• Anxiety 
• Depression
• Desire to self-medicate
• Distorted reasoning
• Emotional shutdown
• Helplessness 
• High-risk behavior
• Hyper-reactivity
• Hypervigilance
• Inability to trust
• Lack of trust
• Lack of faith
• Psychological dysfunction

It’s not just the person who has alcohol abuse disorder who needs help recovering from its effects. Find an alcohol rehab in Florida that incorporates family therapy in its recovery programs.

Alcohol Abuse Treatment in Florida 

You may wonder when your loved one will seek help from a women’s alcohol rehab program in Florida. Alcohol affects the extended family. Those living in the same household see the impacts of alcohol use on the person doing the drinking.

By encouraging your loved one to seek help, you could help your whole family begin the road to recovery. Therefore, call us today at 866.605.0532 to learn more about alcohol abuse treatment.