Alcoholism is a severe disease that has the potential to negatively impact not only the individual combating addiction, but also the family members involved with the addict (Park & Schepp, 2014). The documentary series A&E Intervention follows the daily lives of individuals combating addictions such as alcoholism and substance abuse. Throughout Gloria’s A&E episode, before her intervention there was rarely a moment that did not consist of her having an alcoholic beverage within arm’s reach. Gloria was in denial about her alcohol abuse, and seemed to be unattached to traumatic events that occurred in her life, including the death of her father, her stillborn childbirth, and both of her daughter’s complex relationships with her. This paper seeks …show more content…
to explain the families’ enablement surrounding Gloria’s alcoholism. Family Enablement and Addiction At the age of nineteen-years-old, after carrying a child for nine months, Gloria gave birth to a stillborn baby. Gloria expressed that the birth of the baby warranted no discussion and that it was if the baby was buried in the backyard, and the mention of the baby was never garnished again. The difficulty with giving birth to a stillborn child is the fact that the child is not born alive, so the parents do not have the opportunity to meet the child and develop a bond, or attachment while the child while it is alive (Lindgren, Malm, & Radestad, 2014). In addition, the authors Lindgren, Malm and Radestad (2014) stated that while mothers are pregnant they are preparing to take care and protect their children, so when their children are born stillborn it is heartbreaking to them, leaving the mother to feel as though she has abandoned her child. Two months after Gloria gave birth to her stillborn child her niece Latrelle was born. When Gloria was twenty-years-old her father passed away, he was an alcoholic as well. Gloria described the relationship with her father as healthy, and she stated that he was never been abusive toward her or her family members but that he abused alcohol. Gloria stated she valued the significant amount of time she and her experienced together while growing up and that they had a great relationship. Research suggests that children of alcoholic relatives are more likely to develop alcoholism, Gloria was exposed to her father’s alcoholism and that exposure put her at a greater risk to develop alcoholism. Gloria’s father being an alcoholic while she was growing up provided her with a first hand encounter of a unhealthy relationship with addiction and offered her first experience of family enablement with addiction. Neither of Gloria’s daughters was suffering from addiction, but her addiction had significantly influenced the outcomes of their lives. Shortly after the death of her stillborn child and father Gloria’s niece Latrelle was born.
The birth of Latrelle offered Gloria the opportunity to celebrate the addition of a new life in her family following two tragedies. Throughout the episode of A&E, Gloria and Latrelle’s enabling relationship was explored and discussed. Latrelle displayed a significant loyalty to her aunt and felt as though her family was disrespectful to Gloria because they did not accept her abusing alcohol. A devastating scene within the episode, displayed Gloria’s behavior toward her daughters while being intoxicated. Gloria began to drink alcohol at a family function starting at noon until the sun went down. Her niece was shown assisting Gloria with alcoholic beverage consumptions. Latrelle stated that her aunt often asked to receive help with her rent, and that she had no issue with assisting her with her bills because she is her aunt, although she knows that the money Gloria does have goes to her …show more content…
addiction. Afterwards, Gloria began to have conversations with her daughters Rose and Renee. Rose seemed to be completely detached from the situation, while Renee seemed to be very hurt by her mothers alcohol abuse. It was as if Renee played the role of mother, constantly having to deal with her mother’s emotional outburst. In addition, her daughter Renee stated that she has assisted her mother with paying rent and other bills as well. Gloria stated that she does not need financial assistance from anyone, and a few minutes afterwards she was purchasing alcohol. During the family gathering Gloria was intoxicated, and she bragged about the time she slapped her daughter across the face, she then walked toward her daughter Rose in a threatening manner asking her why did not she hit her back. Another disturbing scene occurred outdoors where Gloria stated that she was a good mother, her daughter Renee looked as though she was baffled to her statement. Gloria told her mother that she was never there for her and Rose growing up and that she wished she was, because she needed her. Gloria nonchalantly apologized and began to cry, prompting Renee to take responsibility for the emotional moment and console her mother. Rose seemed to be completely removed from the situation it was as if her body was there, but her mind was somewhere different and she had protective factors up that assisted with allowing her the ability to ignore her mother and all of the negative behaviors that occurred before her. Throughout the remainder of the evening, it was all about Gloria, and she did not care that the attention that she was receiving was negative. Gloria was crying, threatening her adult child, teasing her because she slapped her, and then asking another child if she loved her. The family gathering was an evening full of disaster surrounding Gloria, her daughter stated that family often intentionally did not invite Gloria because they do not like the amount of alcohol she consumes at events and the behavior that follows. As an outsider looking in it seemed as if Gloria ruled her family, she had family members that assisted her with her bills, although they knew that she was utilizing her money to buy alcohol. She had a supervisor that was aware of her situation, and that could presume to be difficult she was a caterer and could have easily had a set of disastrous events occur while she was attempting to prepare food. Gloria even had the opportunity to give birth to two beautiful daughters that she rarely spent time with and give them away to other relatives to rise as “gifts”. Furthermore, she had a niece that would assist with her alcoholic beverage servings, necessities, and backing her up when she was completely wrong. The pre-intervention assisted with allowing the family members to prepare for intervention, and healthy ways that they could avoid negative outcomes surrounding Gloria. Latrelle felt as though she was choosing sides and trading her loyalty of her aunt with her family members, she did not rationalize that she was assisting in aiding her aunt in sobriety. In addition, she felt like speaking up about Gloria’s alcoholism would be disrespectful toward her aunt and she did not want to be involved. At the beginning of the intervention, Gloria refused to go into the room that contained her family and friends because she told them that she did not want to partake in an intervention and felt as though they were not completely honest with her prompting her to become angry. After much reluctance and with the assistance of a family friend, Gloria decided to enter the intervention with those who love her dearly. The actual intervention consisted of her daughters Renee and Rose reading letters that they had wrote to their mother Gloria assisted with the effort of helping her leave to go get help.
The intervention was the first time that I noticed an emotional reaction out of Rose, at the same time a coping mechanism of protecting herself from pain and disappointment was exhibited. One heartbreaking statement Renee made was that she had not given birth to children yet because she was afraid that she would be an absentee parent and cause her children pain like her mother had did her and Rose. It seemed as though listening to her daughters explain the pain they experienced that was a result of her addiction became a reality for Gloria, she could no longer live in denial. After much reluctance, Gloria agreed to go seek
help. The counselors within the treatment agency Gloria was attending discussed the significant amount of trauma that she had experienced consisting of a stillborn birth, death of her father, abusive relationship, and combating breast cancer. Gloria had been through many traumatic events and it seemed as though the only way she knew how to cope with these traumatic experiences was by drinking alcohol and denying the event was life changing for her. Gloria’s daughter came to visit and there relationship seemed to be one that was significantly healthier. Gloria was not nonchalant or in denial about her absentness from her daughter’s lives when they were growing up, she admitted that she was not there for them like she would have liked to have been. Gloria now visits her daughters on a regular basis and has remained sober. Conclusion Gloria’s A& E Intervention episode proved to be an enlightening episode, because it showed several dynamics that are consistent with individual’s experiences with addiction. Gloria had a severe addiction to alcohol and all of her family members had been influenced by her addiction. Her daughters had never had the opportunity to have a mother daughter relationship with her because she was emotionally unavailable, and did not raise them. Gloria’s niece Latrelle had a significant bond with her and felt that it was disrespectful to not accept her aunt’s behavior and drinking pattern. Gloria’s father was an alcoholic; her daughters were not alcoholics but had directly been affected by her alcoholism. She did not have the opportunity to mourn the loss of her stillborn child and death of her father, prompting Gloria to spiral into alcoholism as a way to cope with the pain that she was experiencing. Gloria received the treatment that she needed to assist with all of the traumatic experiences she experienced including being a breast cancer survivor. This A&E episode was very informative and displayed the ways in which family members and friends can enable addiction
Donna has quit working as a prostitute and is currently on the road to recovery from years of addiction and abuse. As a child she suffered from years of neglect and sexual abuse from her immediate family members. Donna admits to using drugs when pregnant with her youngest child and suspects that he may have fetal alcohol syndrome as he is unable to control his emotions and has a difficult time in forming social bonds.
This episode of Intervention is about Jeanna. Jeanna is a twenty-five year-old, homeless, and jobless woman living in Madras, Oregon. During the episode she was living in a trailer on her friend Josh’s property, but was evicted due to drug use. Jeanna is addicted to crystal meth and she injects through an IV three times a day for the past four years. She has been unable to hold a job since her use became so frequent. She stated that when she is in a binge she will stay up for almost seven days straight. She admits to selling her body for money to buy drugs, and her mother described her as sweetly manipulating men at bars to get money for drugs. Her father was in prison the majority of her life and when he got out he wanted to begin to build
Rose Sharon’s dreams of a perfect life start to fall apart when Connie deserts her suddenly. She can no longer find comfort in shared thoughts of a white-picket fence, and is forced to face reality. However, instead of concentrating on the Joad family crisis, she diverts her worries fully to her baby once again.
throughout her childhood with an alcoholic father and a selfish mother who cared more about her art and happiness than that of her children’s. Alcohol misuse can affect all aspects of family functioning: social life, finances, good communication, relationships between family members, parenting capability, employment and health issues, It also has a strong correlation with conflicts, disputes and domestic violence which can leave a damaging effect on children. Alcohol misuse often times changes the roles played by family members in relation to one another, and to the outside world as well.... ... middle of paper ... ...and agencies designed to meet the physical, intellectual, and social-emotional needs of individuals and families.”.
This episode of Intervention on A&E Network follows the addiction of Latisha from Kalamazoo, Michigan. Latisha is thirty-nine years old, unemployed, and currently lives with her boyfriend, Dominic, that she has known for less than two months. Latisha married her boyfriend at the time, Chris, when she was sixteen and divorced him when she was twenty-five. During her marriage, Latisha had two children, Solomon and Sadiha. After Latisha’s divorce, she had a daughter, Tuesday, from another man. Latisha has been addicted to crack cocaine since she was fifteen years old. In the episode, Latisha admits to smoking crack up to fifty times a day, accumulating about twenty hours a day of smoking. In order to pay for the drugs since she is unemployed, Latisha prostitutes herself in her town. Latisha’s
I have first hand seen the childish ways of a drug abusing parent and my overall standpoint is everyone has a weakness, you just need to find a light to bring you out of the dark hole which the monster and sends you down and see what's worth living for. “I believe if you want to write a memoir, you have to tell the entire truth (yes, I understand it will be colored by your personal lenses), and that means truly opening yourself and those around you to public inspection” (Par. 15) said Ellen Hopkins displaying that she takes informing teens as a serious role. A prediction i could infer based upon the parallel relationship between Kristina and her father is if her son is exposed to drugs he will most likely fall in the same path if her she does not tell him the danger of these substances. This novel is a great tool to get the word out there that hard drugs will hurt you, hurt your family and make you a whole new
Reading this I remembered, that I heard in AA meetings people referred to alcohol as their best friend, who is reliable and present. In case of Caroline’s mother death, she turned to her drink for the support and comfort, in the manner of a child who is afraid to be without a favorite blanket or a teddy bear. “Protect me. Shield me from being alone in my own head”, those thoughts were racing in her mind as she increased her daily alcohol intake after her parent’s death. Knapp got sober two years after, and it was sad for me (and I am sure for Caroline, too) to realize that her parents never have seen her daughter free from the addiction, never will have quality time with them and a brand new relationship that they could have been built if Caroline would not have been
For example, Alice’s eldest daughter, Jess is the one who is negatively affected by Alice’s alcoholism. One afternoon, Alice exhibits the ‘less nurturing and attentive’ side when she returned home after drinking and seeing Jess in the living room, Alice commanded that she finish her homework while ignored her daughter’s request to admire a picture she drew on the computer. Then after, Alice stumbled upstairs to find some aspirin, walked into her closet, retrieved a liquor bottle, and washed down the medicine. All the while, Jess watches her mother’s irresponsible actions, concerned that she is ill. Followed by, Alice abusive act of smacking Jess’s face across when she was asked of her condition. Alice was not sober enough to know how her action had impacted Jess. Then after, Alice went to shower but she could not even stand straight while showering which caused her to faint and fall onto the glass shower door. Jess was worried that she thought Alice was dead by calling her father to report. This physically abusive behavior of Alice is a typical alcoholic parent and is increasingly common during intoxication. Alice’s husband is also emotionally affected by her
Her father’s addiction left her with a negative impact. She grew so anxious that even her teacher worried about her. She read an article and realized how similar her case was to the article. She connected with “‘invisible losses’ suffered by children of addicts: loss of love, stability, a caretaker, a carefree childhood” (Levinson 1). The article shows how the children of drug addicted parents all go through similar things. Later, Levinson starts to understand what it is that her father is going through, she writes,”I began to understand that what my father had been grappling with was not a moral failing, but a disease” (1). Levinson realizes how serious her father’s addiction was and how dangerous it
Severe mood swings, violent rages, memory loss—each of these problems were a part of my family life during the past two or three years. These problems are the result of alcoholism. Recently, a member of my family realized his abuse of alcohol was a major problem to not only himself, but also to those around him. He would lose control of his temper and often would not even remember doing it the next day. Alcohol became a part of his daily life including work, home, and any other activities. His problem was that of a "hidden" and "high-society" alcoholism. When he was threatened with the loss of his job and the possibility of losing his family, this man knew it was time to get help. After he reached his lowest point, he took the first step towards recovery—admitting his problem.
A biopsychosocial framework will be utilized to assess and determine optimal treatment interventions for a selected character of each film. Hutchinson (2008) describes a biopsychosocial approach, “In this approach, human behavior is considered to be a result of interactions of integrated biological, psychological, and social systems” (p.11). Additionally, Ericson’s stages of psychosocial development in relation to chosen characters from the films “Rachel is getting married” and “Mother and Child” will be discussed. In “Rachel is getting married” (2008), the film opens with Kym Buchman’s temporary release from a rehabilitative facility after nine months of treatment. Kym’s inpatient substance abuse treatment program is put on hold for a few days, in order for Kym to attend her sister, Rachel’s wedding.
After her relapse, she had to befriend a local drug dealer. Her friends quickly noticed that she was not the same sober Jackie. The administrator found out she was using and she offered Jackie diversion, an intense program to help her get her nursing job back. Jackie was hesitant. She thought all her problems would go away, if she ran away. Jackie packed her bags and her pills, and drove away. She was involved in an accident and was arrested for having a suitcase full of pills. She was arrested and forced to be sober again. This time she would have to be sober long enough to get her nursing job back. She took the option of going through diversion. However, the hospital was closing and she would have to quickly clean her act up. She made it. Jackie was having a stressful last day of work and she took some pills and overdosed. Jackie never got better. She was addicted and nobody told her that she should stop being a nurse. Everybody kept giving her a second
It appeared for several years the family was going to heal from the traumatic changes that they had suffered with the love and guidance from their grandmother. Until Alyssa started
Ben continues to drink himself to death, and his symptoms get increasingly worse. Although Sera occasionally asks Ben why he doesn't seek help, she remains compliant in supporting his need to drink. Even as Sera suffers her own tragedies such as rape and violence, she continues to be a bystander in Ben's life right up until his last breath. Although Sera and Ben's relationship is a focal point of Leaving Las Vegas, it gives a true look into the workings of an addict. Ben's story shows us the side of alcohol abuse that is not in the advertisements and is largely dealt with in silence. It is the complicated, tragic, and true story of the many layers and characteristics of an
From my early years of seventh grade, all the way to freshman year of high school, I spent harsh years living with my father’s alcoholism. Alcoholism deeply affected my coming of age years, for it came strikingly early. I had to deal with never being around the house, adopting new families to overlap my family that was in shambles, and becoming a man in a dark time in my life.