Instead, they rely on co-workers to cover for them when they are absent. The alcoholic's dependency needs often decrease the ability to form positive attachments to others. There is often an underlying fear of rejection in the alcoholic. These problems create a hindrance for the person in creating positive and caring relationships with others. It also prevents others from developing a mutually satisfying relationship with the alcoholic.
Violence occurs more than two times as often in families with an alcoholic than in families without.
Alcoholism is a condition that arises in one family member and creates stress for all other family members, especially the spouse. Marriage roles are affected because the spouse often feels that the alcoholic spouse is not doing their share of household tasks and are only involved in family decisions concerning social and recreation issues. Children with an alcoholic parent are more likely to become alcoholic themselves. Boys with alcoholic fathers are at a greater risk, especially if the boy already shows signs of antisocial behavior. Compared to other children, those in alcoholic families have shorter attention spans, are less responsive to environ- mental stimuli, and much more prone to have emotional problems.