You can talk with them, cope with them, beg them and cry, but until they want to stop drinking, they won’t. The goal is to get your parents to understand what their alcoholism is doing to the family. Sometimes alcoholic parents can be so harsh that more than talking is required. That being said, if talking simply won’t work, and your parents are not a threat to you, get out of the house. From moving in with a different relative to joining a club, the less time you spend at home right now, the better. This can develop in early childhood, but can also continue long into the individual’s life, even after living in a different environment than an alcoholic parent.
Behavioral Effects
One form of therapy that studies have found productive for some children of parents with alcohol use disorder is called forgiveness therapy. Studies have effects of having an alcoholic parent found that forgiving those who have hurt you can reduce depression, stress, anger, and hostility, and increase positive emotions. In turn, releasing those negative emotions can also reduce some physical health risks, such as heart disease.
- Family therapy can provide a safe space to discuss issues and build healthier family dynamics.
- The impact of growing up with alcoholic parents extends far beyond childhood, affecting various aspects of adult life.
- If you’re comfortable and willing, you can offer to attend a support group with your parents–it shows you’re there for them and helps you develop a greater understanding of alcohol addiction.
- Constant exposure to parental alcohol abuse or drug abuse can destroy a child’s self-esteem.
- Parents who engage in the authoritarian style are often inflexible, developing strict rules that are rigidly enforced.
Immediate Effects of Having Alcoholic Parents
First, using alcohol for short-term relief may temporarily mask stressors but does not offer any constructive solutions to the underlying issues. Second, reliance on alcohol to manage stress or emotional pain can lead to more frequent and serious alcohol use, escalating the level of life stressors, such as poor academic performance or legal issues. The bottom line is that it’s on the parent or parents to curb their drinking and get the help they need.
Alcoholism has a lasting impact on children.
Your feelings are valid, and sharing them can be a powerful step towards healing. Please share your experiences and feelings in the comments below or contact our support team for help. Remember, reaching out is a sign of strength and the first step toward recovery. When a parent such as a father has an alcohol addiction or alcohol misuse issue, it’s not the child’s responsibility to get the parent into a rehab facility for treatment. However, other adults who live with or are close to the person with the alcohol issue can help encourage the parent to seek rehab treatment. Some children of alcoholics may be unaffected by an alcoholic father or parent, whilst others may suffer from long-term negative effects.
- Children of alcoholics tend to struggle more in school than other children.
- The constant lying, manipulation, and harsh parenting makes it hard to trust people.
- Research by Dishion and Loeber in 1985 highlights the importance of parental monitoring in preventing adolescent substance abuse.
- This creates a vicious cycle where the lack of parental emotional support leads to poor choices by the adolescent, further exacerbating the problem.
Does an Alcoholic Father Affect All Children?
Environmentally, having two alcoholic parents severely compromises the family’s ability to provide a stable, nurturing environment. Parenting skills are often lacking, and the potential for marital conflict is high. In such families, the protective influence of a non-drinking parent is absent, putting the children in a situation of “double jeopardy” where they face heightened risks.
This unpredictable household can lack routine, stability, and emotional support. Children raised in households with alcohol abuse often develop coping mechanisms to deal with the emotional turmoil. While some may develop healthy coping strategies, others may turn to maladaptive behaviors such as substance abuse, self-harm, or withdrawal. These coping mechanisms can persist into adulthood and affect their overall well-being. Growing up with an alcoholic parent can have a profound impact on a child’s social life. Children of alcoholics may feel embarrassed or ashamed about their family situation, leading them to avoid social interactions and isolate themselves from peers.
How Growing Up With Alcoholic Parents Affects Children
This inconsistency not only confuses the child but also undermines their sense of stability and control within the family environment. Children might experience emotional neglect, instability, and inconsistent parenting. They could develop low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and struggle with forming a healthy relationship due to the unpredictable environment.
