They often feel remorse about their addiction, and suffer low self-esteem. However, because of either psychological or physical reasons, they are unable to stop drinking or using without special assistance. The most overlooked, and yet frequently used drug, alcohol is abused by more than 15 million American adults. Although legal, alcohol can be lethal - both the physical effects and emotional consequences are overwhelming for those who are dependent, as well as their families. Alcoholism can interfere with every aspect of one's life - relationships, job performance, health and personal communications.
Alcohol affects judgment, behavior, coordination and task performance.
In fact, an alcoholic's behavior is determined in part by blood alcohol level, which can actually cause a change in personality. This means that an alcoholic's behavior is often erratic and unpredictable. And while alcoholic parents love their children, while intoxicated they can treat their children in ways that are scary, confusing, and even cruel. Alcohol is not the only drug parents abuse, however. While men are more likely than women to abuse most other drugs, this is not the case for either prescription medications or for cocaine.