Alcohol addiction or alcoholism serves as a prevalent problem in various homes, although the problem is that the problem has effects on the alcoholic’s entire family, including kids. People addicted to alcohol might be intoxicated on a consistent basis. As a result, they end up being withdrawn or abusive when around their family members. They might also spend considerable amount of finances in supporting the alcoholism habit as opposed to their families (Haverfield & Theiss, 2014) . A study carried out by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug dependence revealed that alcoholism influences over 18 million adults within the U.S. In addition, around 26.8 million kids are subjected alcoholism in their families whereas approximately 6.6 million children below the age of 18 years reside in homes where at least one parent is an alcoholic. Most children whose parents are alcoholics are referred to as COAs (Children of Alcoholics). These children reside in homes characterized by financial hardships, stress, neglect, instability, and violence. Unluckily, the vulnerably youth usually struggle with their education, emotions, and behavior. Children subjected to these kinds of environments might portray various feelings, including embarrassment, anger, shame, and hurt (Park & Schepp, 2015) . Thus, the paper discusses the influence of having an alcoholic parent on children.
Discussion
A large number of children of alcoholics grow quickly in such that they adopt roles of adults. They frequently take on parent duties and those of caretakers. Sadly, the children miss their childhood, which most of them take for granted. Oftentimes, alcoholic parents lay significant emphasis on their individual needs to an extent that they end up neglecting the needs of their children. The kids grow up while lacking comfort of trust. In this case, it is crucial to note that the children might grow up while being dependent on alcohol as opposed to those whose parents are not alcoholics. Furthermore, a strong correlation prevails between genetic characteristics and alcoholism development. Statistics reveal that around 25 percent of kids from alcoholic homes also develop reliance on alcohol during their lifetime. Their chances of delving into alcoholism is greater together with their chances of facing increased risks of neglect and abuse in line with getting to romantic relationships with addicts during their later years (Hardee, et al., 2014) .
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Mental health issues also prevail in the event of children of alcoholics. They portray increased risks for depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders, isolation, and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). In this sense, it becomes apparent that alcoholism does not serve as an individual problem, but is a systematic one. The people who encounter significant hurt are the ones that do not consume alcoholism. Owing to such influences, it is vital to note that childhood needs to be a time for discovery, excitement, growth, and development. It is quite sad that a large number of young people today reside in homes where their parents are struggling with alcoholism. Regrettably, alcoholism robs alcoholics their life while it also robs the kids of their childhood (Waldron, Bucholz, Lynskey, Madden, & Heath, 2013) .
As studies reveal, COAs are four times likely to emerge as alcoholics themselves when compared to typical kids. The kids who commence drinking when teenagers have four times higher chances of developing alcohol dependence when they attain adulthood when likened to the general population. Furthermore, COAs are highly likely to suffer from mood disorders including clinical depression and anxiety. Their chances of being diagnosed with chronic behavior or conduct disorder characterized by criminal activity, drug use, truancy, and general breaking of rules are also high. In the event that such issues are not treated, conduct disorder might result to criminal behavior and overall disregard for the feelings and rights of other people (Waldron, Bucholz, Lynskey, Madden, & Heath, 2013) .
COAs also increase chances of being emotionally, mentally, sexually, and physically abused three times as opposed to the ones from parents who do not use alcohol. Substance abuse also serves as a factor in around 81 percent of cases related to child abuse that state agencies report. Alcohol abuse is quite dominant in cases attributed to child abuse as opposed to any other factors, including teen parenting or parental depression (Park & Schepp, 2015) . The children portray incidences of depression and anxiety, which might comprise of consistent crying, bedwetting, lack of a social circle and friends, fear of attending school, and unending nightmares. The older COAs spend considerable amount of their time on their own, while the depressive symptoms they might portray comprise of hoarding, perfectionism, isolation, self-consciousness, and development of extreme fears and phobias (Waldron, Bucholz, Lynskey, Madden, & Heath, 2013) .
Moreover, it is vital to note that COAs usually suffer significantly from mental and physical distresses as opposed to the children on non-alcoholics. The COAs admitted to hospital are three times higher than those on non-alcoholic parents are. In the event of mental disorders, the number almost doubles. COAs also experience injuries, which is around one and a half times the one of other kids. In addition, the overall health care cost associated with COA is approximately 32 percent higher than the one of children from non-alcoholic families (Park & Schepp, 2015) . The COAs also score low grades in terms of cognitive and verbal skills, which interfere with their school performance and with friendships and interpersonal relationships. During their later years, the children have trouble in handling job interviews, hence affecting their career prospects as well (Hardee, et al., 2014) .
Conclusion
In conclusion, alcoholic parents have significant influence on their children. They interfere with their development as children, which later affect their adult life. The children of alcoholics perform poorly in academics indicating while their chances of venturing into alcoholism once they become teenagers or reach college are considerably high. Therefore, when it comes to cases of alcoholic parents, they should seek professional assistance while COAs need counselling or support groups to assist them deal with the trauma associated with alcoholism.
References
Hardee, J. E., Weiland, B. J., Nichols, T. E., Welsh, R. C., Soules, M. E., Steinberg, D. B., & Heitzeg, M. M. (2014). Development of impulse control circuitry in children of alcoholics. Biological Psychiatry, 76 (9), 708-716.
Haverfield, M. C., & Theiss, J. A. (2014). A theme analysis of experiences reported by adult children of alcoholics in online support forums. Journal of Family Studies, 20 (2), 166-184.
Park, S., & Schepp, K. G. (2015). A systematic review of research on children of alcoholics: Their inherent resilience and vulnerability. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 24 (5), 1222-1231.
Waldron, M., Bucholz, K. K., Lynskey, M. T., Madden, P. A., & Heath, A. C. (2013). Alcoholism and timing of separation in parents: Findings in a midwestern birth cohort. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 74 (2), 337-348.
