Alcoholism and marriage

Alcoholism, Couple Relationship and Psychological Treatment
Nelson Parra
Troy University
Drug Education and Rehabilitation
CP 6634
Dr. Michael Cox
April 30, 2011

Abstract
Alcoholism remains a major cause of crisis within a family and very significant within the conflicts in couple relationships. Not all couples come to therapy when they detect that there is the problem; only when thedeterioration is severe, often separate then they seek help. The figure of the alcoholic man still holds the highest percentage compared to alcoholic women, increasingly booming. The question we must ask is whether the couple encourages alcoholism or alcohol was formed out of the couple. People who already had prior alcohol dependence have a partner and people in their experience of couples, foundrefuge in alcohol to his solitude in the company. There is no single cause that leads a person to use such drugs. What are the structural problem and its basis? Even more, what is the most effective treatment to be applied when alcoholism affect couple relationship? The alcoholic partner has a background of uncertainty that was already in his/her early teens. This sense of deprivation makes peopleseek refuge first in the family or any other place where some individual finds the same satisfaction of their desires love; if they can’t find it, then look at the alcohol to alleviate their feelings of frustration. So, what is the variant? Lacking of affection? Or perhaps there are more common variants that encourage both men and women to abuse alcohol. In the reality, is alcohol a way toalleviate the painful feeling of frustration that occurs when a person within his/her couple relationship experiences his/her emotional life and loveless?

Alcoholism, Couple Relationship and Psychological Treatment
What is meant by alcoholism?
Alcoholism is considered a chronic decease, consisting in the excessive drinking of alcohol in a sustained and prolonged dependency on it.Alcoholism affects physical, social, and mental aspect of the individual involving his/her family as well as work responsibilities. (Doweiko, 2012, p. 46)
The general cause of alcohol addiction is the psychological influence on the social environment in which the person lives. Alcoholism is characterized by the need to consume alcoholic substances relatively frequently, depending on each case,and by the loss of control, physical dependence and withdrawal.
People affected by Alcoholism may have different patterns of behavior, then this decease can’t be determine by the amount of alcohol ingested in a given period; both type of alcoholic people: alcoholics who drink once in a while or those who drink every day fall in this category. The degenerative process tends to shorten the timebetween each intake.
The World Health Organization, have defined alcoholism as day by day alcohol intake more than 70 grams in man and 50 grams in woman. (Babor, 2010, p. 641)
Alcoholism and marital environment
Alcoholism is usually considered not only as a disease that poses a tremendous risk to the patient, but also a hell for the people living with the affected, in this case the spouse, figurebeing more victimized by the emotional closeness. Is well known the picture of social decay that is an addiction, withdrawal and personal loss of common interests to family or friends, but perhaps more impact that has on the surrounding an alcoholic are the reactions of violence against the most close relatives and maybe also against the most defenseless.
One of the most tragic characteristics ofalcoholism is the long period of time between the emergence of alcohol problems, their recognition and the decision to undergo treatment.
Since there is no magic line that divides social drinkers and problematic drinkers, each person must assess to what extent have control over their drinking as well as what are the negative consequences of it before proceeding with changes that are constructive...