title: Effects of alcoholism on the family system.
abstract: Because the family is a system, the alcoholism of one member affects all the others, who develop defenses and symptoms parallel to those of the alcoholic. The authors describe the "survival roles" members adopt that allow the system to maintain its equilibrium and explain how this balance shifts as the family recovers.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D005190:Family; D005196:Family Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012917:Social Adjustment