The impact of alcoholism on the individual and the family

Prema definiciji Svjetske zdravstvene organizacije „alkoholičarem se može nazvati ona osoba koja je trajnom i prekomjernom potrošnjom alkoholnih pića oštetila svoje zdravlje, socijalno ili ekonomsko stanje, ili u koje postoje bar predznaci takvih oštećenja˝. Alkoholizam je dugotrajna, kronična bolest koja osim samog alkoholičara pogađa i sve članove obitelji. Budući da negativno djeluje na sve članove obitelji treba uzeti u obzir da je i njima potrebna odgovarajuća skrb. Kod alkoholičara javljaju se različita oštećenja brojnih organa i psihičke komplikacije. U braku alkoholičara narušeni su emocionalni odnosi, komunikacija je oskudna, često dolazi do sukoba, pa i fizičke agresije. Alkoholičar u pravilu ne vodi brigu o obitelji, ne pruža prikladan odgoj djeci, zapušta rad, što sve ukazuje na težinu te bolesti. Djeca iz obitelji alkoholičara izložena su prevelikim psihofizičkim opterećenjima, lako su podložna raznim štetnim utjecajima iz šire okoline, stoga ova djeca predstavljaju rizičnu skupinu. U liječenju alkoholizma postoje različiti postupci, no svi moraju obuhvatiti alkoholičara, njegovu obitelj i širu društvenu zajednicu. Cilj ovog rada je prikazati alkoholizam kao problem pojedinca, ali i njegove obitelji, tijek bolesti i liječenja te istaknuti ulogu medicinske sestre u procesu liječenja i resocijalizacije. Medicinska sestra u radu s obitelji alkoholičara nailazi na brojne probleme, od kojih se osobito ističe nedostatak adekvatne komunikacije. U radu s obitelji alkoholičara medicinskoj sestri se postavlja jedna od najsloženijih zadaća, stoga joj je potrebno specifično znanje i trajna edukacija.As defined by the World Health Organization „an alcoholic may be called a person who has suffered a permanent and excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages that has damaged their health, social or economic status or where there are signs of such damage˝. Alcoholism is a long-term illness that, except the alcoholic himself affects all family members. Because it has a negative effect on all family members, it should be considered they also need adequate care. Alcoholics have various damage to numerous organs and psychological complications. Alcoholic marriage violates emotional relationships, communication is deficient, conflicts often occur, and even physical aggresion. Generally, the alcoholic does not take care of the family, does not provide appropriate upbringing for children, neglects work, which all points to the severity of the disease. Children from an alcoholic family are exposed to excessive psychophysical loads, they are susceptible to a variety of adverse impacts from their environment, therefore these children are considered a risk group. There are different procedures in the treatment of alcoholism, but they all must embrace the alcoholic, his family and his community. The aim of this paper is to present alcoholism as a problem for the individual as well as his family, the course of the disease and to feature the role of the nursing profession in the process of treatment and resocialization. The nurse dealing with the family of alcoholics encounters numerous problems, the most notable being the lack of adequate communication. While working with an alcoholic family, the nurse is required to one of the most complex tasks, so she needs specific knowledge and continuing education