Mexican Family Therapy Essay

Many participants engaged the group with stories of overcoming addiction or being sexually molested by family members as reasons behind their addiction. However all of their stories were compelling and empowering to the group of individuals who have seemed to endure some of the same sentiments as their fellow group mate. It appeared as if the individuals in the group even though that were court ordered appeared to be extremely engaged and very involved during the meetings. It seemed as though most who attended found peace and solice from the group during the NA meetings. As it stated by Krentzman, Robinson, Moore, et.al (2010), client’s state that their top two reasons for attending NA meetings were to promote recovery/ sobriety and to find support acceptance and friendships. One thing that I learned from the NA group that just as in AA, family support deems to be an important function on the perseverance of an addict and that the participation and involvement of family is detrimental in the treatment process for the addicts. In several of our readings many of the passages discussed the effects of family systems support as it pertains to substance abusers chemical addiction. The passages described the family system as being a detrimental part of the treatment process as well as for the treatment of the family as well. According to past studies, family involvement has aided clients in

Gruber, K.J., & Taylor M.F. (2006). A family perspective for substance abuse: Implications from the literature. Journal of Social

DATA: The client was invited to read a case study “Issues of the Recovering Family” which highlights some of the typical dysfunctions that occur in families that have been affected by the disease of addiction. Then, she was asked to compare and contrast the dynamics of her family to that of the case study’s. The goal of this group is for the client to gain awareness of how their behaviors have impacted those who are closest to them and to consider suggestions and any feedback regarding said implications.

Although all sorts of families can be devastated by addiction, but single parent units (the most common lower class structure) are the most obscured. Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches supports, “In every family unit, each person plays a role (or multiple roles) to help the family function better and to maintain a level of homeostasis, stability and balance. When substance abuse is added to this dynamic, the family roles naturally shift to adjust to the new behaviors associated with drug or alcohol use, and to continue maintaining order and balance.”4 In single parent units there is an inability of a second parent to fill the void role of the addicted parent. The National Center for Biotechnology Information states, “Frequently, children may act as surrogate spouses for the parent who abuses substances. For example, [young] children may develop elaborate systems of denial to protect themselves against that reality of the parent’s addiction. Because that option does not exist in a single‐parent household with a parent who abuses substances, children are likely to behave in a manner that is not age‐appropriate to compensate for the parental deficiency.”2 So a child growing up in a compromised family unit where addiction is present may develop altered norms and mature into an addict themselves.4

Due to a clinicians’ lack of understanding of Hispanic culture, feelings of alienation can result from the patient. Family and social structures are different in Hispanic culture, whereas “professional help may not be sought due to Hispanics considering substance abuse a family problem” (Reif, Horgan & Ritter, 2008). In Hispanic culture it is perceived that family issues remain in the family, thus outside help is frowned upon. When treating clients from this population, clinicians need to include the whole family in the treatment plan and to respect family

Most substance abuse treatment centers offer family therapy. Addiction affects the whole family and each individual member. Everyone, as a result, needs treatment to find true and meaningful healing. Therapists and counselors at addiction treatment programs will also view the family as a system that influences your growth and progress in the program. Treatment may focus on healing emotional scars caused by addiction such as distrust, betrayal, and neglect. Family involvement in treatment delivers advantages such as: [4]

Romer, (2010) discusses that individual differences in impulsivity underlie a good deal of the risk taking that is observed during adolescence, and some of the most hazardous forms of this behavior are linked to impulsivity traits that are evident early in development (Romer, 2010). When working with Maria and her partner, I can identify how substance abuse effects their relationship. Maria is taking out her frustration by consuming alcohol until intoxicated, which leads to altered precipitations and emotions. It is evident that Hispanic family issues affect individuals and family members social and psychological functioning. In Maria’s case, alcohol abuse has become a pattern for her, causing dysfunctional issues within her

Growing up in the household under substances influence can cause severe damage to the child. Parental substance abuse has a significant impact on family function, and it may also contribute to child maltreatment. It heightens the risks to both of the physical and emotional safety of the children, and it generates children’s problematic outcomes. Children who grow up in such families may also experience mental health issues, social isolation, financial difficulties, and exposure to stressful life events and so on.

Substance abuse, the abuse of drugs or alcohol, is known to have a lasting impact on members of the abuser’s family (Crosson-Tower, 2013). Ultimately there are two ways in which a family can experience the detrimental effects of substance abuse within the family system itself, and those ways are through either substance abuse on the parent’s behalf or substance abuse by the adolescents or children in the family unit (Crosson-Tower, 2013). Substance abuse can have many negative impacts on a family unit; the negative impacts are known to be emotionally, physically, and mentally damaging (Gruber & Taylor, 2006).

In this phase, the patient reaches out to others who try to help him identify the damaging effect of addiction, realize that he suffers from the disease, and break the circle. In this phase, patient may experience denial, refusing to accept that he is an addict or thinking that he may result the problem by cutting down in the drug used rather than eliminating it totally. A counselor intervenes to help the patient to see the benefits of a drug-free lifestyle. A goal is set in place to restrain patient from using illicit drugs and to attend the scheduled counseling. Family should understand that approaching love ones during this time should be gentle and supportive. Caring for families, the nurse may identify an expected outcome that the family members will not take on the addict’s illness; rather, the family will provide support for recovery and seek healthy family functioning whether the family chooses recovery or not (Frisch,

Many generations may reside in one residence where there is a clear patriarchy (GCU, n.d.). Considering the importance that Latino/Hispanics place on familia and how central a person’s role within the family is to individual identity, it becomes painfully obvious how a family disease such as addiction can be especially devastating to their community. In an adult individual, it becomes a challenge to distinguish whether the addiction causes or results from the family disconnection (Flores, 2014, p. 28). The addicted person tends to be a product of family instability, dysfunctional family environment, and hostile parenting (p. 26), all of which is exacerbated and perpetuated by substance abuse. This cycle of sickness may have begun with the destructive effects of immigration on the original family and trickled into later generations. In 2006, studies indicated that, on a regular basis, 40% of Latino/Hispanic adolescents used alcohol, 24% smoked cigarettes, and 17% used marijuana (SAMHSA National Survey of Drug Use and Health results, cited by Wagner et al., 2010, p. 98). Flores reports that alcoholism rates seem highest within the Hispanic population of Mexican descent (cited by GCU). Unfortunately, heavily acculturated Latinos/Hispanics can be resistant to mental health treatment due to machismo, the fear of

There is no question about how the dynamics of the family structure can change when a family member is a substance abuser. Substance abuse can easily tear apart a family, especially, when some members of the family want the abuser to stop using the substance and to get help, but the user is not ready to change his lifestyle and is resisting pressure from his love ones. There are group therapies and organizations designed to help family members understand addiction, why one might start using drugs and alcohol, and one’s new role in the abuser’s lifestyle, and at the same time help them confront their own issues with the addicted family member. When the abuser is a parent or parents, many people wonder about how are the children coping psychologically,

While many therapists in this field have come to see addiction as a family disease, and recognise many family members to be suffering from codependency, there is much diversity in the extent of engagement of family members and the application of the systemic approach in therapeutic work. Much attention is usually focused on their individual disease processes, rather than on the family dynamics and interactions that continue to sustain the addictive

Family bonds suffer when someone gets addicted. Addicts will often use family for favors, money and even alibis. Using drugs or drinking can change someone’s personality and lead to a lot hurt feelings. All of those betrayals do a lot of damage.

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 “ 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