Addiction And The Family Addiction - 2026 Words

Addictions and The Family Addiction has been an aspect in the family atmosphere for centuries. The majority of treatment options have focused on the addict and how to help them and not dealing with the issues that the family members are facing as well. When families are faced with a loved one dealing with an addiction they go through physical challenges such as possible abuse, social challenges, emotional distress such as depression, and financial hardships. In the article Family Systems Theory: A Unifying Framework For Codependence, Prest and Protinsky quote C. Whitfield â€Å" The compulsive and addictive behavioral patterns in which these people are engaged seriously affect the lives of three to five people with whom they are closely†¦show more content†¦The biological factors that reasearchers say might influence addiction are genetic factors. Researchers have contributed genetics as a cause since there is â€Å"hereditary biological differences that make some individu als either more or less susceptible to drug dependence than others† (U.S Congress, Office of Technology pg. 6). When there are biological influences involved in addiction, and there is one or more family members that have suffered from addiction there could be the possibility of a genetic deposition for addiction. Psychological factors that could contribute to addiction are; depression, death in the family, and the need to take risks. In the commentary by Roozen et al. Involving Families in Addiction Treatment – The Way Forward he states that â€Å"Research has shown consistently that family members living with an active addiction problem suffer stress that can be severe and long-lasting and are frequent users of the health-care system, presenting with physical and psychological stress symptoms.† (Roozen et al. pg. 105). In our current society people are under more pressure and stress from not only personal problems but work and social issues as well. These issue s may cause people to start using some sort of an addictive substance in an effort to feel normal. A death in the family can be unbearable for some individuals and they will