| Abstract: | In the societal structure, the family is undergoing a transition and the most noticeable consequence of this transition happens to be a marked increase in the number of people addicted to alcohol. Alcoholism creates a major stress on individual family members and the family system. Drinking behaviour may interrupt normal family tasks, cause conflict and demand adjustive and adaptive responses from family members who do not know how to appropriately respond. In brief, alcoholism creates a series of escalating crises in family structure and function, which may bring the family to a system crisis. As a result, the members develop dysfunctional coping behaviour called  Codependency . Therefore, it is imperative to involve family members in treatment. Family therapy is designed with the end in mind and it is specific, with attainable therapeutic goals. There are certain special population who need a lot of support in the form of family therapy. Children of alcoholics are one of the largest, most explosive and most remedial population who need help. Secondly, the number of women alcoholics is on the rise. Their addiction leads to neglect of children, and parenting responsibilities are compromised. In the future, drug related education needs to be viewed as a people rather than a chemical problem aimed directly at parents and families. Education efforts should revolve around family life, with emphasis on positive ways to deal with the issue of addiction, and treatment needs to shift from individual oriented to family system approach. |
