Alcoholism and the Effects on Family Essay - 1593 Words

Chris Landry Prof. Horowitz Synthesis Essay 10/26/07 Alcoholism and the Effects on a Family Alcoholism, although thought mostly of its impact on the alcoholic themselves, it is also a very present problem in the ruining of his or her friends and their families lives. Someone who may be a fully functional, great person to his or her family may be extremely dangerous, dishonest, and destructive while they are under the influence of alcohol. This instance occurs in The Glass Castle with Rex Walls and also occurs regularly in our society today, such as abusive parents, and husbands. Without alcohol Rex was intelligent, responsible, honest, and a overall respectable father figure, but when under the†¦show more content†¦ The fact was that, although Dad was only fifty- nine, he had been smoking four packs of cigarettes a day since he was thirteen, and by this time he was also putting away a good two quarts of booze daily. He was, as he had put it many a time, completely pickled.(Walls 278- 279) Cons idering the circumstances Rex Walls was fortunate that he had lived as long as he did. Although alcohol plays a substantial part in physical and mental destruction, it also has caused Rex and a cornucopia of other alcoholics to be dishonest and break promises. The most essential promise was that he would construct a Glass castle for their family to reside in. His family completely doubted that this task would ever be accomplished because he had never amounted to anything he said he would do because of the alcohol. The one person who had faith in him was his dearest daughter, Jeanette. Instead of using his time and money to do something he promised or anything that would be productive, he used his money and time to purchase alcohol and get canned. He could not manage to put enough food on the table for his family and give them the essentials that they deserve. Jeanette put her faith in his withdrawal from drinking and he could not even keep that promise. When drinking turns seriou s; Alcohol abuse wreaks havoc on careers, loved ones(Laur) is an article describing the need for alcohol compared to the preference of it. LaurShow MoreRelatedEffects Of Alcoholism On A Family1635 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Approximately 26.8 million children are exposed to alcoholism in the family and 6.6 million children age 18 and younger live in households with at least one alcoholic parent† (Rachel Lohmann P.H.D. Broken Promises). As the numbers state alcoholism is a major problem in our society. Day after day young children, spouses, friends, and other family members are affected greatly by one alcoholic. In order to understand the full effects that alcoholism has on a family as a whole, it is crucial to understand whatRead MoreThe Effects Of Alcoholism On The Alcoholic And Their Families1382 Words   |  6 PagesThe Effects of Alcoholism Alcohol indefinitely changed my life. My husband is an alcoholic. What is alcoholism? Why do people drink? What are the effects on the alcoholic and their families? How do you know you have a problem. What is the treatment? Is there a cure? How has this affected my life? People from all walks of life drink. The difference is: do you control the alcohol or does it control you? Alcoholism is a constant battle that many people struggle with. Alcoholism formerlyRead MoreAlcoholism and Its Effects on a Family Essay1592 Words   |  7 PagesAlcoholism and Its Effects on a Family Alcoholism, although thought mostly of its impact on the alcoholic themselves, it is also a very present problem in the ruining of his or her friends and their families lives. Someone who may be a fully functional, great person to his or her family may be extremely dangerous, dishonest, and destructive while they are underRead MoreThe Effects Of Alcoholism On Family, Children, And The Individuals Suffering From Alcoholism988 Words   |  4 Pagestoday, alcoholism. I am sure that even if your life is not directly affected by the disease, you are at least a little familiar with the basics. In this paper I plan to give you a brief understanding of the three basic issues you should be informed upon so you can make better decisions involving alcohol in the future. First, I will discuss who is at the most risk of falling victim to alcoholism, second, I will discuss the symptoms of alcoholism, and finally I will discuss the impact alcoholism has onRead MoreEffects Of Alcoholism On Our Fam ily Members, Friends, And School Mates1806 Words   |  8 Pagesorganization could be the key to saving the lives of our family members, friends, and school-mates. Imagine yourself in this position, what would you do next? Make the choice to help out. Drunk Driving The issue to be examined is Alcoholism in Licking county, what programs are already introduced, and why they are not working effectively. This is significant because alcoholism is a very difficult disease to prevent and treat. Alcoholism is classified as an addiction to the consumptionRead MoreAlcoholism : Alcoholism And Drug Dependence1054 Words   |  5 PagesAlcoholism is a problem affecting millions of families around the world. Based on the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Inc., Alcoholism is considered a family disease due to the amount of stress that family members go through (NCADD, 2016). Alcoholism is an addiction that requires treatment and support from family members and friends. It is important, to understand the effects that alcoholism can bring to the alcoholic and to the family members. Some of these effects cause healthRead MoreSoc 203 social problems1286 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿ Alcoholism: A Social Problem I. Introduction Alcoholism is a major social problem that not only has an impact on the life of an alcoholic, but family members as well as society. Alcoholism is the third most common mental illness that affects more than 17 million people in the United States according to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse. Alcoholism does not discriminate against age, race nor gender. II. Scope Alcoholism is defined as a disorderRead MoreAlcoholism: Symptoms, Causes, and Effects Essay981 Words   |  4 PagesAlcoholism: Symptoms, Causes, and Effects Composition I April 1, 1997 Alcoholism is a disease that affects many people in the United States today. It not only affects the alcoholic, but also their family, friends, co- workers, and eventually total strangers. The symptoms are many, as are the causes and the effects. Alcoholism is defined as a pattern of drinking in which harmful consequences result for the drinker, yet, they continue to drink. There are two types of drinkers. The first typeRead MoreAlcoholism : A Silent Killer1624 Words   |  7 Pageshome for me. Alcoholism is a silent killer in today’s society. Research proves that alcoholism effects the whole family from the inside out. Alcoholism within a family recreates unhealthy family roles in order to help adapt to living with an alcoholic. The alcoholic becomes the focal point in a family; which causes lasting effects. Alcoholism is a disease that destroy families when they are not appropriately addressed. This paper focuses on three points; 1) alcoholism recreates family roles, 2) TheRead MoreAlcoholism : A Growing Problem1468 Words   |  6 PagesAlcoholism Alcoholism is a growing problem in today s society. What is alcoholism? Is it a disease? What are the causes of it? What toll does alcohol abuse have on individuals? American society? American economy? What kind of treatments are available to reduce/cure alcoholism? What is alcoholism? Alcoholism is a physical or psychological need for an alcoholic beverage, which is taken for non-medical reasons and produces a noticeable effect on the body (Sheen 93). People develop the need for alcohol