7 Devastating Effects of Alcoholism on Families and Children

How does alcoholism affect families? It can destroy them… If you or someone in your family is struggling with alcoholism, you should read this article to understand what it could do to your family (and how to stop it once and for all).

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) can tear families apart. It creates financial issues, marital problems, emotional distress, and even physical risks of harm to partners, family members, and children.

But worst of all, it drastically increases the chances that you pass the disease on to your children.

Here are some startling statistics about alcohol and families:

• The divorce rate increases by 20% for every 1 litre of alcohol consumed (Journal of Studies on Alcohol, “Alcohol consumption and divorce rates in the United States”)

• In the US, 40% of reported domestic violence cases involved alcohol (National Institutes of Health)

• Children of alcoholics are 4 times more likely to develop addiction than children of non-alcoholics (National Library of Medicine, “Prospective Studies of Children of Alcoholic Parents”)

• Children of alcoholic parents have higher rates of depression, anxiety, behavioural issues, and self-esteem problems (National Library of Medicine, “Anxiety, depression, self-esteem among children of alcoholic and nonalcoholic parents”)

Alcohol addiction is a family disease. Addiction affects more than just the person struggling with the drug. It doesn’t matter if it’s you struggling with alcoholism or your family members. What’s important is that you know it can be beaten. You can prevent alcohol from hurting your family more than it already has and heal old wounds.

This article will explain the devastating effects of alcoholism on children and families, as well as effective treatments for alcohol addiction available online, in person, or here at our rehab centre.

How Does Alcoholism Affect Children and Families?

Alcoholism affects families and children in several harmful ways, including increasing their risk of addiction and increasing their risk of psychiatric disorders.

Here’s more on each of those ways:

1. It Increases the Risk of Addiction

The primary way that alcohol affects families is by passing on the disease of addiction to children. As we stated before, children of alcoholics are four times more likely to struggle with addiction than children of non-alcoholics. This is according to a study published in the National Library of Medicine entitled Prospective Studies of Children of Alcoholic Parents by Reich, Wendy, in 1997.

Alcohol addiction can be passed on to family members due to environmental and Genetics factors of Alcoholism. A child who sees that mommy or daddy drinks regularly will grow up to think that type of behaviour is safe and normal. In reality, it’s quite dangerous.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports on their page Too Soon = Too Dangerous that those who start drinking before age 15 are more likely to have AUD than those who wait until they are 21.

Long story short, AUD is heritable, and the more a parent struggles with their drinking, the more likely their children will struggle too.

2. It Increases the Risk of Psychiatric Disorders

Familial alcoholism can have negative effects on a child’s psychology. The more they are exposed to substance abuse and parental dysfunction, the more likely they are to have psychiatric issues.

One study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry entitled Relationship of Child Psychopathology to Parental Alcoholism and Antisocial Personality Disorder by Kuperman, Samuel, et al., found the following:

“Among offspring, parental alcoholism was associated with increased risks for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder (CD), and overanxious disorder. Parental alcoholism plus ASPD was associated with an increased risk for oppositional defiant disorder. Dysfunctional parenting style was associated with increased risks for CD, alcohol abuse, and marijuana abuse.“

NOTE: In case you aren’t familiar with conduct disorder, it’s a mental health condition that involves aggressive and antisocial behaviours.

Another study published in the National Library of Medicine entitled Psychiatric disorders in adult children of alcoholics: data from the Epidemiologic Catchment Area Project found that children of adult alcoholics showed higher rates of phobia, agoraphobia, anxiety disorders, persistent depressive disorder, and panic disorder. They may also struggle to form healthy relationships.

The literature is quite clear on this: If children grow up in a household where they are exposed to alcohol misuse and its symptoms, it drastically affects their mental health.

3. It Creates Family Dysfunction and Separation

As we mentioned above, divorce and alcohol consumption are directly linked. And it all starts with how it eats away at the foundation of the family itself.

That’s why rates of divorce are so much higher among those with AUD. One study from the May 2014 issue of The Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs called DSM-IV Alcohol Dependence and Marital Dissolution: Evidence From the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions found that the divorce rate among people with lifetime AUD was 18% higher than those without it (48% vs. 30%, respectively).

4. Financial Difficulties

Alcohol can cause serious financial difficulties for families, especially when the breadwinner is the one struggling.

When someone has AUD, they tend to spend money on alcohol instead of essentials like food, bills, or rent. It’s a bit of a “burning the candle at both ends” situation: The alcoholic spends a lot of money on alcohol and spends less time working to make money.

This almost always leads to unpaid debts, missed payments, and constant financial issues. This type of financial strain is difficult for children, and it’s especially difficult for partnerships and marriages to deal with, too.

Alcoholics also tend to struggle to keep steady jobs, which further adds to the financial instability.

5. Academic Issues

Alcoholism can seriously affect your child’s grades for several different reasons.

We know that nobody means to do harm to their children, but an alcoholic’s actions can have unintended consequences on their child’s future job prospects. This is something you must take into account if you’re deciding on whether to seek treatment or not.

If a parent is struggling with alcoholism, this could lead to: 

• Emotional or physical neglect that hurts academic performance
• The parent not setting healthy rules in the house, so schoolwork does not get done
• The parent not ensuring the child gets their schoolwork done
• The child purposely not doing their schoolwork as a method of acting out

And if the child grows into an adult who abuses alcohol when they attend university, things could get even worse.

One February 2023 study from the American Journal of Multidisciplinary Research & Development (AJMRD) entitled The Effects of Alcohol Consumption on Academic Performance: A Literature Review paints a grim picture of the effects of AUD on academic performance. It states, “Alcohol consumption can have a negative impact on academic performance by impairing cognitive function, increasing absenteeism, and decreasing motivation and focus. Long-term binge drinking can also result in more serious consequences, such as academic expulsion and a lower chance of graduating.”

6. An Increase in Domestic Violence

Perhaps the most heart-wrenching and devastating way addiction affects families is the increase in domestic violence.

Alcohol not only impairs judgement, it increases impulsivity, exacerbates existing tensions, and heightens sensitivities. This often leads to verbal abuse, emotional abuse, and even physical violence. And if that weren’t enough, the alcoholic often blames the victim, downplays the harm they have caused, or outright denies their actions. It’s a vicious cycle that must be stopped.

Here are some alarming stats about alcohol and violence taken from a PDF from the World Health Organization and posted on Canada.ca entitled Intimate Partner Violence And Alcohol:

• In 55% of cases, partners believed the perpetrator had been consuming alcohol prior to the event (in the USA)
  
• In Australia, 36% of intimate partner homicide offenders were under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident
  
• In South Africa, 65% of women experiencing spousal abuse within the last 12 months reported that their partner always or sometimes used alcohol before the assault

The facts are clear: Alcohol incites familial violence, and it can have a devastating effect on everyone involved

7. Emotional Dysfunction

Substance abuse can lead to severe emotional issues in both the addict themselves and their family. Substance abuse can shatter family dynamics and destroy the trust and love that families are supposed to feel.

These types of issues can take years of treatment to heal.

How to Heal Family Trauma From Alcoholism

We want you to know that no matter how bad things get, family trauma from alcoholism can be healed. It may seem impossible right now, but we’ve seen it time and time again. You just need the right support to rebuild trust and create a healthier dynamic. 

Imagine you or your alcoholic family member no longer struggling with family problems or the other devastating consequences of problem drinking. There’s no more financial stress, emotional turmoil, child abuse, or strain on family relationships. Everyone is happy, healthy, and stable, just like you’ve always dreamed of.

It is possible.

Here’s how families can heal:

• Family Therapy: During family therapy, a licensed therapist will help your family talk openly, address the hurt caused by your loved one’s addiction, and learn tools for better communication. There are most likely some free family therapy options in your local area. Check with your local government office.

• Detox: Medically supervised detox removes alcohol from the addict’s system safely under the supervision of professional support, which reduces withdrawal symptoms and starts the addict on their recovery journey. We recommend starting here if you or someone you know has been drinking heavily for a long period of time.

• Inpatient Treatment: Inpatient treatment centres like our clinic offer intensive support in a structured environment. The person can focus fully on recovery while families participate in workshops to understand addiction and their role in the healing process. During inpatient treatment, the addict will receive medical treatment, group therapy, holistic healing, emotional support, and healthy coping skills to maintain their sobriety moving forward.

• Outpatient Treatment: Flexible therapy sessions and ongoing counselling help both the person drinking too much and their family stay on track while managing day-to-day responsibilities. The best part? These can even be done at home or online. Nobody has to miss work or school (every case is different, though).

• Support Groups: Support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-Anon, and SMART Recovery are free, widely available, and highly effective. You or your loved one will get the support they need without depleting the family budget. During meetings, the addict will learn more about their own alcohol problems. They’ll also listen to the struggles of others and receive support on their alcohol recovery journey. Evidence has shown that problem drinkers who attend regular meetings have a much better chance of staying sober than those that don’t.

You Can Heal Your Family by Treating Alcoholism (And The Entire Family)

Alcoholism can tear apart family life and destroy families for generations. But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can put an end to the emotional issues, physical abuse, stunted child development, and other negative interactions IF you get help.

We are Asia’s longest-running and most respected rehab, and we know the chaos alcoholism brings to families.

That’s why we take a personalised approach by offering medical detox, trauma support, and tools to rebuild trust and communication. We even offer family therapy to help heal the parent-child relationship and give support to other family members.

Healing takes work, but we’ve helped countless families find peace. Together, we can restore not just order, but love and connection to your home. Contact us today for your free evaluation. We will respond within 24 hours and begin the healing process.