Are You Addicted?

Since my blog is about addiction I decided that I should have at least one post that deals with how to tell if someone is addicted to alcohol or some sort of drug. For alcohol, I heard something a while ago that made sense to me. It said that if you think that you have an addiction to alcohol; try not drinking any type for at least 30 days. If you can do it, you probably are not an alcoholic, but if you are not able to last the 30 days, then you may have a problem; but only you can decide whether or not if you are addicted. As for drugs, I was able to find a pamphlet that has 29 questions somebody could ask themselves. As the pamphlet points out, some of the things do not have anything to do with drugs at all, but are relevant questions because drugs affect all areas of a person's life. But as I said before, the user has to decide that he/she has a problem and they must be the ones to decide they need help. The pamphlet and questions can be found at:
Am I an Addict?

What Exactly is Substance Abuse?

I wanted to clearly define what substance abuse was since my whole blog is about it and what it can do to relationships. Substance abuse can essentially be defined as the "use of illicit drugs or the abuse of prescription over-the-counter drugs for purposes other than those for which they are indicated or in a manner or in quantities other than directed" (Medline's Medical Encyclopedia). However, alcohol, inhalents and solvents, and even coffee and cigarettes can be used to a harmful extent. The difference between use and abuse can only be determined by the individual using though. If the individual does not believe that they are abusing the drug, then they are most likely not going to be willing to get help. They have to believe that they have a problem before they decide what is best for them.

• Definition taken from About.com-Substance Abuse

Substance Abuse and Relationships

Substance abuse can destroy relationships because it places huge burdens on the people around them. The burden and stress that is put on their family and friends causes family roles to become warped or reversed. For example, a child puts their drunken father to bed or a daughter (or son) hiding their mother's pills so that she can't use again. Or, drug addiction could isolate someone entirely from the world and have no close relationship. These may be the ones who sit in their living room and wonder why no one comes to see them anymore.

Relationships are usually the hardest thing for an addict to fix. It often requires years of hard work, cooperation, and therapy. When a relationship is allowed to deteriorate, it may create a cycle of addiction because the children learn faulty social behavior and coping mechanisms. Statistics show that the child of an alcoholic is four times more likely to become an alcoholic than the national average.

• Information taken from Treatment Finder-Substance Abuse and Relationships

How Does Substance Abuse Cause Changes In the Family?

• Aggression - Research shows that substance abuse is not a risk factor for many factors in and of it self; however, substance abuse can strength other risk factors. Where there is a risk for violence and child abuse, substance abuse can increase the risk by causing loss of control, decreased inhibitions, and impaired judgment memory and attention.
• Abusers often neglect children, both with regards to physical needs, as well as emotional and cognitive needs. Research has shown that children with heroin addicted parents show the same pattern of cognitive delays
• Substance abusers are often more prone to engage in conflict, to be emotionally abusive mood.
• Substances alter moods, and can result in increased depression, anxiety, and paranoia. This is relevant not only to the abuser, but also the partner. Research shows that the partner of the abuser is often at the greatest risk for psychopathology.
• Sleep/wake patterns, eating patterns, and personality characteristics can all change when abusing substances. Imagine having two parents; the sober dad who is verbally abusive, and the drunken dad who is emotionally expressive and loving.
• Taken from http://www.psychpage.com/family/library/familysubstanceabuse.htm

So basically, what it is saying is that substance abuse alters a person. Aggression is shown more often and this can affect a family because the substance may cause the user to lose control and have impaired judgment. Which means that they are more likely to do something that they wouldn't normally do when they are sober. They are also more likely to be in an emotionally abusive mood, which can also put the family at risk if they anger the user in some way. When someone is abusing a substance, they are usually not aware of what is going on and they probably don't realize how their actions can hurt another person, but as the facts have pointed out, it does in fact cause conflicts for more than just the person abusing a substance

Intervention

Just wanted to share a video that shows what the user and their family go through. The video is from the Emmy Award winning show Intervention. This episode highlights Salina and Troy. Their addiction puts the family in a difficult spot, and can sometimes even split the family apart. It pushes everyone to both the emotional and physical edge. There are two parts to this episode

The Reason

I wanted to share the reason why I decided to do a blog on how substance abuse affects more than just the person abusing the substance real quick. Unfortunately, this issue hits close to home for me. I have a relative who is a substance abuser (alcohol and pills, perhaps others as well) and it really does affect the family relationship. Back when I was younger, we (that being my brother and cousin) would spend a lot of time with her and she would take us many places. She even took us to see our favorite cartoon movie the night it came out in theaters-I still remember that very night. However, things would not last this way. Over the past 5 years or so (maybe even longer), she has become involved with pills and excessive alcohol consumption. She has been to jail and the hospital within the past year and a half and she has stolen from our house. To be honest, my siblings, cousins, and I don't know how to deal with this. It affects us directly because 1.) She stole money from my brother and I that we need for our car payments 2.) We can't really invite her over for parties because she will drink too much alcohol and take pills and then attempt to drive home with her kids in the car (not that we don't try to stop her) and 3.) She endangers my younger cousins when she takes these actions and thus not in the state to take care of them. I've said something to my cousin and brother about how I'm more worried about her kids than anything because they're taking the punishment more than anyone else. They're growing up too fast for their own good; but they don't really have a choice in the matter because of the actions their mother has taken.

Introduction

This blog was made for a course project for Introduction to Sociology (SOC 111). My topic is about substance abuse and how it affects not just the user, but the whole family as well. The main discussion here will be how an entire family is affected by a person's substance abuse; how it affects their day-to-day lives, how it affects relationships in the family, etc.