Demographics of Families Affected by Alcohol - Essay Example

? Family Dynamics Family Dynamics Alcoholism has always been a serious issue in American society. Every era since the revolution has had to deal with the excesses that are caused by drunkenness. In earlier generations, it was mainly the male population that had access to alcoholic drinks which were served in public houses which prohibited women. Moreover, the excess consumption of alcohol was a problem even then; but hardly spoken about openly. In the 1920s, the government tried to solve this problem once and for all by prohibiting the consumption of alcohol. It soon became evident that the government could not possibly succeed in controlling the behavior of its citizens. It is obvious that alcoholism has to be tackled in ways that are unique to each addict. While basic theories may be used to treat the underlying causes of the disease, it is necessary to address the issues that are unique to every alcohol addict in order to stem the excess use of alcohol by that particular individual. Demographics of Families affected by Alcohol In America today, there are approximately 15 men and women who are addicted to alcohol and use it on a regular basis. These alcoholics come from diverse religions and ethnic backgrounds, and can be found in all age groups. According to Babor (2010) 43% of the American population has had to deal, at some time or other, with an alcoholic within the family. Today, 18% of all American children live with an alcoholic in the family (Centers for Disease Control, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 2009). Of this figure, more than 55% are children who are still perceived to be dependants who rely on their parents for sustenance. According to Babor (2010), the consumption of excess alcohol kills more than 75,000 Americans on an annual basis. These deaths may result from binge drinking or simply continuous heavy drinking which wears down the body’s vital organs such as the liver. According to Babor (2010) binge drinking happens when men take more than four drinks in one sitting. For women, consuming three alcoholic drinks in one sitting would be tantamount to engaging in binge drinking. The young adults form the age group that is most likely to develop unhealthy drinking habits (Centers for Disease Control, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 2009). This is because there are pressures from peers that they have to deal with while also having to handle the pressure of starting new relationships as well as careers. The Effect on the Family The families of alcoholics are often greatly affected by their destructive addiction. They may have to live with the pressure of maintaining a facade of normalcy to the outside world while also having to bear the problems that the alcoholic causes. Alcoholics usually have short attention spans once they start to drink and can cause problems that they will not remember after the effect of the alcohol wear out (Joyce, 2011). The families of alcoholics may have to deal with violent behavior exhibited by the alcoholic, economic problems caused by the alcoholic’s use of family finances to support his or her problem, and low relationship satisfaction. Any children born into families where one of the parents is an alcoholic also learn quickly not to trust that parent (Joyce, 2011). Communication in such families is marked by constant criticism, blame, misplaced guilt, dissatisfaction in emotional relationships, and complaints (Babor, 2010). Chaos and conflict is common in families that have alcoholics. There is also a lot of unpredictability, and the breakdown of traditional family rituals. Physical as well as emotional abuse is also very common in such families. Theories of Alcohol Addiction There are different theories that seek to address the cause of alcoholism in people. The genetic theory holds that there are inherited mechanisms, particularly among people that had alcoholic parents, which predispose people to desiring alcohol or consuming it in excess (Hingson, Zha and Weitzman, 2009). There are also biological theories that maintain that people become addicted to alcohol after their cells adapt to being chronically exposed to alcohol. This would appear to indicate that alcoholics whose cellular structures are transformed in this manner actually do not have the psychological ability to turn away from the lure of alcohol. Conditioning theories support the premise that there are motivational systems in every alcohol addict’s consumption patterns that support a behavioral change in favor of excessive consumption (Hingson, Zha and Weitzman, 2009). Lastly, according to the adaptation theory, there are critical psychological as well as social functions that emerge and improve conditions for the addict once he or she uses alcohol. Healthy People 2010 objectives for Alcoholics The Department of Health and Human Services initiated the ‘Healthy People 2010’, in January 2000. The ‘Healthy People 2010’ is an all-inclusive, countrywide health promotion and disease prevention program which aims to do away with health disparities while also improving public health (Campbell, Hahn and Elder, 2009). In the matter of dealing with alcoholics and interventions staged by families to deal with it, the ‘Healthy People 2010’ supports the use of culturally sensitive interventions that include consequential messages that all sections of the population, whether the disenfranchised or wealthy, can relate to (Campbell, Hahn and Elder, 2009). The ‘Healthy People 2010’ also regularly conducts research into ways of improving the public understanding of the determinants of alcohol addiction in various ethnic groups in the United States. Nurse-Led Interventions and Theories that can help in curbing Alcoholism There are different ways in which the families of alcoholics can seek to deal with the issue. However, today there are many instances where family members are either unwilling or unable to conduct interventions. In other cases, the family members may not even be aware that their family member has problems of any kind. In such cases, the nurses who are dealing with the alcoholic on a regular basis can stage interventions. Having trained professionals use their skills to address this issue can be the vital move that finally convinces alcoholics of the need to deal with alcoholic addiction. Many people are unwilling to confide in doctors; but will readily confide in other workers. Nurses have all the relevant information about the symptoms of alcohol abuse, and can actually stage quick interventions when patients present themselves in emergency rooms. Just the setting of the intervention is likely to encourage the patient to listen and heed to the advice of the nurse. There are also other theories that are important to consider when seeking to help alcoholics to stop their destructive drinking. The ‘Family Systems Theory’ is a human behavior theory that perceives the family as being an emotional unit that supports complex interactions. Family members are often deeply emotionally connected. Family members deeply affect how each member feels, thinks and even acts (Campbell, Hahn and Elder, 2009). Family members have ways of petitioning each other for approval, attention, and support. They also tend to react to each other's expectations, needs, and distress- which is something that makes them interdependent. If one member’s functioning is changed by alcoholism, there will be reciprocal changes in the lives of others. Nurses can use these systems to come up with ways in which family members lend emotional support to the alcoholic; thus encouraging him or her to gradually stop consuming excess alcohol. The Health Belief Model (HBM) is yet another psychological model that seeks to explain and anticipate health-related behaviors (Julien and Samuel, 2012). When alcoholics are able to perceive the severity of their alcoholism, they could decide to comply with their treatment program, for instance. According to the Health Belief Model (HBM), an alcoholic’s expectation to improve as well as his or her feeling of satisfaction in matters regarding the relationship with the treatment therapist can result in him or her making the decision to remain in treatment (Campbell, Hahn and Elder, 2009). The Health Belief Model provides a successful method of understanding the underlying causes of patient conformity to treatment plan and programs. It also allows for nurses to be able to see areas in which adherence to the program can be instigated and thereafter, improved. The role of the advanced practice nurse as a case manager in this type of nursing situation Case management is descriptive of a situation where the issues in a client’s life that have been overlooked or neglected are prioritized and examined in an effort to bring the patient to a place where he or she feels in charge of the ability to make positive decisions that will impact his or her life (Campbell, Hahn and Elder, 2009). Nurses who function as case managers assess different concerns affecting an alcoholic’s life and generate a plan, in cooperation with the patient, to handle them. Even within a treatment program, there may be issues that are still concerning the patient which could cause a relapse. These concerns also function as a distraction from adhering to the program’s tenets. One of the important roles of the nurse who is a case manager is to appraise each of the situations in the outside world that are taking up the patient’s thoughts and then assist the client to be able to fully concentrate on treatment. Many times, the extra issues in their lives are not as important as supposed. Many patients will deliberately focus on non-important things to avoid confronting the feelings that come up in the course of treatment. The nurse who acts as a case manager has the responsibility of prioritizing such concerns so as to keep the treatment program on track. References Babor, T. F. (2010). Alcohol: No ordinary commodity- research and public policy. New York: Oxford University Press. Campbell, A. C., Hahn, R. A., & Elder, R. A. (2009). Task Force on Community Preventive Services: The effectiveness of limiting alcohol outlet density as a means of reducing excessive alcohol consumption and alcohol- related harms. Am J Prev Med, 37(6), 556–69 Centers for Disease Control, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2009).Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Division of Adolescent and School Health. Hingson, R.W., Zha, W., & Weitzman, E.R. (2009). Magnitude of and trends in alcohol-related mortality and morbidity among U.S. college students ages 18–24, 1998–2005. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs Supplement, 16, 12–20. Joyce, M. (2011). The turmoil of someone else's drinking. New York: MJMR/LLC. Julien, B. K. S., & Samuel, P. (2012). Alcoholism: Unmask the truth and realities of alcohol addiction. New York: J & P LLC. Read More