How the Families of the Alcoholics Get Affected

Indulgence in alcoholism or any other type of drug addiction is a major cause of getting into complex situations. The alcoholic himself, as well as his family, suffer from inexplicable turmoil from this bad habit. An alcoholic not only brings bad reputation to his personal name and character but his entire family is, in most of the cases, victimized by the negative attitude of the society towards them. The problem is not limited to the society alone; it encompasses all major and minor areas of personal and collective lives.

Alcoholism may numb the senses of a person for the time being, but when he recovers from the state of oblivion and stupor, he gravely realizes his weakness and mistakes. His guilt is unable to stop him from drinking more; instead, it gives him another reason to drown himself in the sea of unconsciousness. He ruins his health, personal relationships, job and career, his friendships and his overall sense of moral conduct. The greatest harm that he causes is that he shatters the lives of his very own family - his own people, who love him unconditionally.

Their pain and suffering is unfelt by the society, who shuns them from their circle. The only reason why they are stigmatized is that they are the blood relations of an alcoholic. Nobody cares to know whether they are seeking help for him, or how much they are suffering at the hands of society rather than from the alcoholic himself.

Other than the social factor, they face a huge financial loss if they are dependent upon the person who got into alcoholism. Obviously, alcoholism takes its toll on the career of the consumer, and he might end up losing his job. If he was financially supporting his parents, wife and children, he has doomed their future along with his own.

The emotional damages suffered by the families of the alcoholics have far reaching repercussions in their lives. Seeing a loved one ruining his/her life with alcohol is nothing less than dying everyday. Alcoholics usually become rash, aggressive, abusive and violent, verbally or physically. They can harm their immediate family - emotionally, physically or both. Domestic violence is rampant in the cultures and households, where one of the spouse, usually male, is alcoholic. His wife and children have to bear the brunt of his insult and blows. This situation specially gets worse when the alcoholic does not get sufficient alcohol to satiate his addiction.

These days, it is not difficult to get proper help for alcoholics. Mere will power is sometimes just not enough to quit alcohol. What seems, at first, a normal and socially acceptable behaviour to drink in small quantities, becomes an un-controllable monster once this habit gets out of hands. Alcoholism is not incurable. Rehabilitation centres provide a wonderful environment where an alcoholic can get medical care, support and confidence to rebuild his life, relationships and career. The families of the alcoholics should instantly seek help before the situation worsens, because they are the only ones who would have to face the grave consequences.