Thousands of children living with parents with drinking problems are at risk of depression, anxiety and increased anger. Alcohol misuse within families is an increasing concern, according to a new U.K. study.
The report, Bottling It Up: The Next Generation, from health and social care organization Turning Point, warned that early screening and identification of families is needed urgently to help prevent the ‘inter-generational cycle’ of alcohol misuse.
The study revealed that nearly half (5,326) of people who used Turning Point’s alcohol treatment services last year were parents with an average alcohol consumption of 30 units per day, 24 for mothers and 33 for fathers – the equivalent of three bottles of wine or 15 pints of beer.
More than a third were mothers and some revealed they turned to alcohol in response to the pressure to be ‘supermoms.’ Some were drinking more than 70 units a week, the equivalent of nearly eight bottles of wine. Drinking was often carried out in secret when their children had gone to bed.
A snapshot survey of 100 parents currently using the alcohol treatment services found that 83 percent were worried about the effect of their drinking on their kids. More than a quarter felt their drinking increased the risk of anti-social behavior in their children and undermined their chances of academic and work success.
Disturbing statistics were also evident in a separate poll of more than 1,000 people countrywide, in which nearly one quarter of parents were concerned about their own drinking.
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