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Effects of Alcohol Abuse on the Family

In a bid to help youngsters gain an insight into parental alcohol misuse and overcome related harm, leading Scottish charity, Alcohol Focus launched a book, Rory, this November.

Rory, mainly aimed at primary school children, tells the story of a dog called Rory who fails to understand why his owner is acting weird until it is made clear to him that he is actually under the spell of alcohol. Teachers, counsellors, social workers, in fact anyone who wants to educate people about parental alcohol problems, can avail of and utilise this book, according to the charity’s authorities.

It is estimated that over 100,000 Scottish children are adversely affected by a parent who has drink problems. These unfortunate and helpless kids often fall prey to their parent’s unpredictable behaviours, rows, beatings, domestic abuse, sheer neglect which hamper their performance at schools.

Chief executive of Alcohol Focus, Jack Law said that this book has been mainly written to make sure that people with drinking problems receive appropriate and timely treatment. Also, the book aims to protect lonely and vulnerable children from the wrath of their alcoholic parents by explaining them what makes a parent behave differently so that they do not get puzzled or are left feeling dejected and isolated.

Mr. Law also added, “Children need support to understand that they can’t stop their parents drinking, only they can do this and they have to want to change.”

Nicola Barry, journalist and author of “Mother’s Ruin”, a heartrending true story of how alcohol destroys a family, commented: “Rory is a delightful, highly readable and important book - one which will bring hope and understanding to thousands of children whose parents have a problem with alcohol.

“I only wish there had been something similar around when I was growing up with an alcoholic mother. I might not have wasted so much time and energy feeling guilty and responsible, when, all the time, nothing I could have done would have stopped her drinking.”

According to child-psychiatrists world-wide, children of alcoholic parents are at a greater risk of becoming emotional wrecks than those with sober parents. Since, alcoholism runs in families, children of alcoholics are more vulnerable to alcoholism and traumatic psychological problems, once they grow up.