The Effect of Addiction
Tenisha Williams
BSHS 455
March 16, 2015
Dawn Oliwa
The Effect of Addiction
According to "Psychology Today" (1991-2015), " Addiction is a condition that results when a person ingest a substance or engages in an activity that can be pleasurable but the continued use/act of which becomes compulsive and interferes with ordinary life responsibilities.” (What is addiction?). Addiction affects countless individuals impacting every aspect of their lives and leaving a path of destruction. One important aspect that seems to be overlooked and untreated is the family of the individual whom is addicted to drugs and or alcohol. “Researchers focusing on the role of family relationships in the creation and maintenance of drug-related problems have identified a strong connection between disrupted family relationships and drug addiction” (Schafer, 2011, p. 136). In the “Intervention Series #38 Anthony” video, Anthony’s family struggles as they attempt to deal with his drug addiction. An in depth exploration of how Anthony’s drug addiction not only affects him, but how it also affects his family and the community he lives in is explored to gain a better understanding of the effect of addiction.
Family Dynamic
Anthony’s family dynamic is quickly beginning the norm within today’s society. The family is based on the dysfunctional relationship between husband and wife. This dysfunctional relationship between the parents can adversely affect the children by creating an imbalance within the family’s environment thus weakening the family structure and forcing family members to activate coping mechanisms (McNeece & DiNitto, 2012, "Chapter 10: Family Systems and Chemical Dependency"). According to McNeece and DiNitto (2012), it may seem that the family structure and behavior is centered on a cause and effect relationship but in actuality it is based on circular causality (Chapter 10: Family Systems and Chemical Dependency). In other...