The effects that the abusive consumption of alcohol cause within the
human organism are well known and are probably good reasons to begin
a detoxification treatment for people who suffer a serious addiction to
this highly toxic drug, although the real problem about this sort of addiction,
as in the case of many others, is probably the negative consequences
that it may cause for the family, the social and work settings, which,
in most cases, prove to be devastating.
In this respect, the family, as the prime socializing element for the individual,
is the most important influence at the levels of both intervention
and prevention of drug abuse. It has been proven that the family’s attitude
plays an important role in the promotion of drug consumption,
abuse and addiction (Jacob,T. Johnson, S. 1999). Apart from the genetic
factors, however, we can affirm that the family’s social processes highlight
their importance because they are the base of the underlying factors
in this problem, such as their attitudes, their personalities, their self-esteem,
their personal values and finally, their communication skills.
The relationship between the family and alcohol consumption is not
limited to the already established elements. There is another important
angle to the problem. It is the far-reaching effects of this pathologic condition
on the way the family interacts and on the dynamics of the malfunctioning
relationships that this problem causes.