The Devastating Effects of Parental Alcoholism

The Devastating Effects of Parental Alcoholism

Alcoholism is a chronic, progressive disease that includes compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcohol which affects the drinkers heath, social status, and personal relationships. In the United States alone, there are approximately seven million children being raised by one or more alcoholic parent. These children are innocent victims of a disease that will not only shape their childhood, but their adult life as well. I know because I, like so many others, am a product of parental alcoholism. As is the case with most alcoholics, my mom believed that she was not an alcoholic, and that her alcoholism only affected herself. However, the truth is that no child, myself included, comes out unscathed. The resulting psychological scars are pushed into the dark recesses of the mind, with the hope that they will not be discovered. Children who are raised by one or more alcoholic parents have physical, emotional, and social effects that can last a lifetime.

Children need stability to thrive. Knowing what to expect on a regular basis promotes confidence. Children of alcoholics lack this stability because a consistent daily routine fails to exist due to the rules, mealtimes, and bedtimes often changing. Every day is met with feelings of fear, uncertainty, and confusion. Alcoholics behavior can be incredibly sporadic and unpredictable. The alcoholic parent may suddenly change from loving to angry, or calm to violent regardless of the child's behavior, which causes confusion and fear. Due to my mother’s ever changing moods, violence often erupted between her and my stepfather, so calling an ambulance and telling some made up story to the cops became routine for me. Because of situations like this over which the children have no control, they need to find ways of coping to feel as if they have some kind of control over their own life and environment. This all too often leads to control issues, resistance to change, and...