The role of family on individuals’ social wellbeing
Introduction
Family plays a vital role in every human’s life since it is the basic social unit of society (Nosek-Kozlowska, 2020, p. 175). However, different individuals within this setup may experience personal challenges that end up causing stress and discomfort for all the family members. One of the problems within a family is alcoholism; this is a condition in which a person finds it hard to control their drinking habits and is too preoccupied with alcohol (Palmisano & Pandey, 2018, p. 17). Such people depend on alcohol both emotionally and physically, and they may keep consuming it despite any legal or health issues involved. Studies reveal that individuals who are victims of alcoholism usually do this for different emotional reasons, with stress being ranked as the number one cause. However, others drink for fun, and before they realize it, they are made slaves to alcohol (Mehta, 2016, p. 27). This paper reviews different literature on how alcoholism and how it affects the family set up. It further gives ways on how the issue can be managed. Moreover, the paper uses family stress theory to explain different suggestions for solving the problem of alcoholism within a family set up and analyzes the strengths, weaknesses of this theory. The relevance of this theory to nursing is also examined, and its ability to be applied to the situation in question is also evaluated.
In the modern days, alcoholism is commonly referred to as alcohol use disorder; it has also been referred to as alcohol dependence and sometimes alcohol abuse (Connor, Haber, & Hall, 2016, p. 990). Studies show that people with this disorder continue drinking even when it destroys some aspects of their lives, such as relationships with their family and jobs (Carvalho, Heilig, Perez, Probst, & Rehm, 2019, p. 782). The problem may occur due to different reasons, but most people have stated that they drink to lower their stress levels. Research has also found out that people who hail from a family where the use of alcohol is accepted and common may find themselves addicted to the same (Verhulst, Neale, & Kendler, 2015, p. 1061). Even though alcohol may be acceptable within a particular culture, it still can cause marital problems within the same setup. Alcoholics have been linked to blowing family budgets, neglecting children, and sometimes causing fights. As a result, the family experiences unending stress and sometimes emotional pain. Research shows that alcoholism is responsible for 60-65% of physical altercations between couples (van Amsterdam, Ramaekers, Verkes, Kuypers, Goudriaan, & van den Brink, 2019, p. 1477370819828324 ). However, the family plays a vital role in helping such people. It is highly recommended that they provide family therapy or take the person to rehabilitation.
According to the family stress theory, all families experience different periodic stressors, which at times may be acute (Sullivan, 2015, p. 90). The method further states that the lack of adequate support from the family and prolonged conditions of such stressors may cause instability in the family. The volatility includes crises such as the abuse of substances, including alcohol and other drugs, fighting with other family members, and sometimes divorce. Alcoholism is mostly stock with men, but sometimes women too fall victim. When a father, who, for this case, is the sole provider of the family, is affected by alcoholism, the whole family is affected. This is because excessive alcoholism is linked to the misappropriation of funds that are needed by the rest of the family. This theory asserts that the family should be at the forefront of helping such people to get back to their feet through therapy and rehabilitation. It is also essential that the family members do not give up on such people; however hard it becomes to change them. The family stress theory carefully defines the various acute stressors within the family setup and outlines suggestions for solving the problems. However, the approach fails to link the resources available and the crisis (Kaakinen, Coehlo, Steele, & Robinson, 2018, p. 6).
The nursing practice has shown increased use of various theories to improve the health outcomes of patients. One of the arguments in use is family stress theory. For instance, a patient who comes from a family that has alcoholism as its acute stressor may easily find help since the leading cause of their problem is known. This theory is vital in helping the practicing nurse identify the strategies of assisting a family to maintain good health during various transitions. It has been proven that a particular change in the family may cause multiple health conditions to different individuals. For instance, stress and depression may lead to overeating among young children, which is a risk factor for obesity. Therefore, when the nurse intervenes to help such individuals maintain a healthy mindset, then it becomes much more manageable. Alcoholism can be addressed through this theory by providing individuals with family therapy and rehabilitation (Kaakinen, Coehlo, Steele, & Robinson, 2018, p. 6).
According to the family stress theory, alcoholism occurs due to various issues both within the family and outside. The primary causes of alcoholism are stressful environments, a family history of alcoholism, and depression (Connor, Haber, & Hall, 2016, p. 990). However, other reasons such as taking alcohol with medicine and taking alcohol at a tender age may also contribute. However, other researchers assert that it is quite challenging to link alcohol addiction to one risk factor, as it is usually caused by several reasons for each individual. Therefore more elements such as low self-esteem and low self-worth largely contribute towards the same issue.
Conclusion
The family holds the central role of an individual’s social wellbeing. However, different acute stressors may affect it and lead to its instability. One of these stressors is alcoholism. When it concerns the sole breadwinner of the family, the rest of the members may face tough times, and this may lead to their mental illnesses such as stress and depression. The victims of alcoholism may experience various health challenges, such as chronic liver illnesses and other bodily diseases. The family stress theory outlines alcoholism as an acute stressor and suggests that the affected people should be taken through family therapy and rehabilitation. Alcohol leads to impaired judgment among its users, and therefore, they find themselves on the wrong side of the law. Alcohol users may also be subject to bias and discrimination when it comes to the decision-making process, which may make them indulge in drinking even more. It is crucial to research the main risk factors of alcoholism and the most fundamental steps to help the victims.