The Enabler's Role In A Correctional Family

There is a certain type of families, where the system of relationships does not work well enough in order to qualify as a functional one. In the social work field, these families are labelled as dysfunctional. One of the most widespread examples of a dysfunctional family is a household where one of the members of the family is addicted to drugs or alcohol, or simply put, an addict. Usually, in these cases, other members of the family have a tendency of isolating the household from the outside view. Other people are usually not let into this family and the relationships between the family members are not disclosed to the outside world, as recent research demonstrates (Morgan 56). As a result, the tensions inside of the household can grow up to a level when the family can fall apart. In order to avoid this and cope with the problem, all members of the family accept various roles, which are usually rather predictable. As a consequence, the attention of other members of the family is distracted from the primary problem – the addict.

Some theorists claim that the enabler has the second position among the family members after a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol. From time to time, different families have different numbers of enablers in their household. On the other hand, the existing evidence suggests that in the majority of cases, the primary enabler of the addict is his or her significant other. The primary function of the enabler is to tolerate the addictions of his or her spouse. In addition, enablers usually offer their help to the addicts in avoiding the natural outcomes of their addictions behavior in the society and other aspects of