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By LOU HATTER
Rappahannock N«wi Staff Writer
Thanks to efforts by mental health professionals and organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous, the widespread problem of alcoholism in our culture is a well-known and accepted fact.
Alcoholism is a chemical dependency - the number one drug dependency in the United States,” said Robert Treanor, a mental health /substance abuse counselor with Family Guidance Services of Rappahannock, a unit of RappahannockRapidan Community Services.
But there is another, equally serious problem which is still largely unrecognized outside the mental health field. Co-alcoholism is a disease which affects the family, friends, even co-workers of an alcoholic.
Mr. Treanor recently conducted a seminar to familiarize professionals in the county with the problem of co-alcoholism. Social Services case workers, public health officials and Family Guidance Services staff members were among the participants in the training session.
Mr. Treanor explained that the alcoholic is the problem in the scenario. Co-alcoholics, the people who are affected by the alcoholic’s drinking, are the ones who require help. He said that often, particularly in a family situation, the family members become affected by the same sickness which characterizes the alcoholic. He added that alcoholism is not a symptom of the situation - it is the underlying cause of the other problems.
Alibis and denials
Alcholics have a well-developed system of alibis and denials. The alcoholic, for example, will say to himself, and to others, “I drink because I had a bad day,” or “I drink because I had a good day.” The fact is, Mr. Treanor said, “Alcoholics drink because that is what alcoholics do.”
Family members, in trying to cope with the often unacknowledged fact that they are living with a seriously ill person, become trapped in a parallel alibi system. “If I’m extra nice to him, then maybe he won’t drink,” is one of the innumerable examples of a family member’s attempt to cope with the problem.
The clinical term for the reaction of family members, friends or coworkers to the problems created by ,the alcoholic is “enabling.” The term ! covers any action which mitigates problems caused by the alcoholic’s
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