Alcoholism

Brian ReynoldsJessica BollZane Mehl

Effect on Family

Youth and Teen Use

Resources

Rehab/Treatment Process

Alcoholism is a family disease. • 18% of adults (1 in 5) have alcoholism in �

family • 38% of adults have a relative with �

alcoholism • 10 million married to someone with � alcoholism • 27 million Children of Alcoholics (COAs).�• 13-25% of COAs develop alcoholism� (National Council on Alcoholism

and Drug Dependence, 2010)

Impact on Family and Children:

Codependency• Family members addicted to the

alcoholic’s behavior• Hiding problem, covering up, trying

to “help” the drinker• Forget about own needs• Don’t bring others home• Maintain family image• Usually denial of the problem• Sometimes turns into enabling(Parsons, 2003)

Alcoholism Affects…FetusesChildren

TeenagersAdult Children

Spouses

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome• Leading known preventable cause of

mental retardation• Causes brain damage• Babies are born small• Have problems eating , sleeping,

seeing, and hearing• Behavioral and neurological problems-

trouble in school, employment difficulties later in life

(US Department of Health and Human Services, 2009)

(http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/19842.htm)

• FAS can also cause unusual facial features

Children• Children of alcoholics (COA) are four

times more likely to develop problems with alcohol than the general population

• Many other factors besides genetics increase the risk of becoming an alcoholic

(US Department of Health and Human Services, 2007)

COA, cont.• Low self esteem, loneliness, depression• Problems in school- hard to study at home,

hard to start or keep relationships• Behavioral problems- truancy, stealing,

lying• Younger: bedwetting, nightmares, no

friends, afraid to go to school• Older: hoarding, obsessive perfectionism

(try to please parent), introversion, phobias

(Parsons, 2003)

Adult Children of Alcoholics

• Do not associate problems with parent’s alcoholism

• Depression, aggression, impulsive behavior, difficulty maintaining healthy relationships

• “Problems with intimacy,” difficult to trust others

(Parsons, 2003)

Spouses• Take over both parenting roles• Avoid friends and family• Financial difficulties- loss of job,

money spent on alcohol• Hiding the problem, taking care of

the alcoholic

(Parsons, 2003)

Youth and Alcoholism

How many minors drink?

National

Local & State

Drinking Behaviors

Alcohol use in minor populations

Alcohol and Risk

Other Issues

–Lack of information –Developmental issues –Long term health issues –Social issues

Prevention + Interview• Elva Giddings–Working in the field– Services available – Issues in the field

–What can be done

Resources• Drug and Alcohol Prevention

Services (WWU)• Catholic Community Services• Pioneer Center North• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) - www.aa.org

Alcohol/Drug 24-hour Help Line

• Statewide service• Crisis intervention line• No charge• www.adhl.org

1.800.562.1240

Al-Anon/Alateen• www.al-anon.alateen.org• Relatives and friends of alcoholics• Share experience, strength, and

hope• Belief- alcoholism is a family illness;

changed attitudes can help recovery.• Many meetings weekly in Whatcom

County

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

- www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov• National Assoc. for COA• National Center on Addiction

and Substance Abuse

Pioneer Human Services• Provides treatment

and counseling for chemical dependency

• Non-profit, but earns income through sale of products and services

• Based in Seattle, local branch in Whatcom County

• Interview with Gregg Ronney

Alcoholism Treatment Plans

• Two main types of treatment: individual and group

• Needs of clients vary, but group treatment is more common than individual.

“Treating alcoholism is more treating the underlying issues rather than treating the addiction itself.”-Gregg Ronney, Detox Specialist/Intern Case Manager

Individual Treatment1. Meet with a

counselor2. Create a problem

list: relationship issues, work issues, relapse, mental health, etc.

3. Create a treatment plan based off of the problem list.

• Individual Treatment is specialized

Group Treatment Plans• The idea of group

sessions has been around since colonial America

• More personal support, less specialized

• Two types of Group Treatment: open ended and close ended

Close Ended Group Sessions

• Linear• Focus on education

(about 95%) • Less

discussion/relating than open ended, but more bonding (E.G.: Core)

• 12 step program is close ended (but individual)

Open Ended Group Sessions

• Non-linear• Start with

topic/theme, move on to open discussion

• Focus on identifying with others who share the same problem and engaging with them

• Alcoholics Anonymous

Learning ActivityToday we will be simulating an open ended group

session.

Topic:The affects of alcoholism on relationships with

friends, family, and significant others.

Alcoholism is a Disease• Genetically determinable• Hereditary• Trait• Not a moral deficiency or personal

weakness

(Ketcham, Asbury, Schulstad, & Ciaramicoli, 2003)

Alcoholism is not a Disease

• “It is pitiful that a society has to resort to seeing people as sick in order to be compassionate towards them” (Dreyfus, 2003, p. 16).

• Calling alcoholism a sickness is a form of labeling and causes us not to relate to alcoholics as people.

• If they are suffering from a disease, people are more likely to pursue treatment.

• There is no responsibility taken for compulsive behavior.

(Dreyfus, 2003)

Websites• www.peele.net - Opposes the disease model• www.niaaa.nih.gov - National Institute on

Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism • www.ncadd.org - National Council on

Alcoholism and Drug Dependence• www.nofas.org – National Organization on

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome• http://www.thecoolspot.gov – For teens, info

on alcohol and resisting peer pressure