Page 49 - Petelin Ana. Ur. 2022. Zdravje otrok in mladostnikov / Health of children and adolescents. Proceedings. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press
P. 49
https://doi.org/10.26493/978-961-293-167-4.49-57
Growing up in a family with alcohol
addiction and the importance of
strengthening protective factors
to maintain the health of a child
Karmen Henigsman
National Institute of Public Health, Ljubljana, Slovenia
karmen.henigsman@nijz.si
Abstract
Despite its mass presence in Slovenian culture, alcohol addiction is still
a gray area of research, as evidenced by how difficult it is to trace data
on the prevalence of this disease. In addition to the already established
measures to treat addiction in individuals, there is still a lack of
awareness of the impact of special circumstances in which children of
addicted parents grow up and in the treatment and support of relatives
from such families. Alcohol addiction not only affects the occurrence of
many harmful consequences for the individual who drinks, but also for
all members of his family, especially children. The chaotic and unstable
family environment, characterized by alcohol addiction, represents a
wide range of risk factors for the child’s psychosocial and physical well-
being. The presence of addiction in the family and thus the special
circumstances of growing up poses many challenges to the child, which
require him to develop various mechanisms of survival and often
neglect to meet their own needs at the expense of meeting the needs
of the parents. An additional challenge for a child is the stigmatizing
environment outside the family, which further limits the child’s ability
to experience a safe environment. These circumstances can affect many
outcomes that pose a risk to a child’s mental and physical health, such as
depressive and anxiety states, externalizing and internalizing problems,
interpersonal problems, risky behaviours, poor physical health, and so
on. The purpose of this paper is to present in more detail the risk factors
and possibilities of action to strengthen protective factors in various
areas of work, which could reduce the negative health outcomes of
children and adolescents coming from families with alcohol addiction.
Approaching this need is possible by early psychosocial treatment of the
child, raising awareness of the community about the problem of alcohol
and raising awareness of children and adolescents about diseases such
as addiction. It is also important to strengthen and promote sources
Growing up in a family with alcohol
addiction and the importance of
strengthening protective factors
to maintain the health of a child
Karmen Henigsman
National Institute of Public Health, Ljubljana, Slovenia
karmen.henigsman@nijz.si
Abstract
Despite its mass presence in Slovenian culture, alcohol addiction is still
a gray area of research, as evidenced by how difficult it is to trace data
on the prevalence of this disease. In addition to the already established
measures to treat addiction in individuals, there is still a lack of
awareness of the impact of special circumstances in which children of
addicted parents grow up and in the treatment and support of relatives
from such families. Alcohol addiction not only affects the occurrence of
many harmful consequences for the individual who drinks, but also for
all members of his family, especially children. The chaotic and unstable
family environment, characterized by alcohol addiction, represents a
wide range of risk factors for the child’s psychosocial and physical well-
being. The presence of addiction in the family and thus the special
circumstances of growing up poses many challenges to the child, which
require him to develop various mechanisms of survival and often
neglect to meet their own needs at the expense of meeting the needs
of the parents. An additional challenge for a child is the stigmatizing
environment outside the family, which further limits the child’s ability
to experience a safe environment. These circumstances can affect many
outcomes that pose a risk to a child’s mental and physical health, such as
depressive and anxiety states, externalizing and internalizing problems,
interpersonal problems, risky behaviours, poor physical health, and so
on. The purpose of this paper is to present in more detail the risk factors
and possibilities of action to strengthen protective factors in various
areas of work, which could reduce the negative health outcomes of
children and adolescents coming from families with alcohol addiction.
Approaching this need is possible by early psychosocial treatment of the
child, raising awareness of the community about the problem of alcohol
and raising awareness of children and adolescents about diseases such
as addiction. It is also important to strengthen and promote sources
