BOWEN FAMILY SYSTEMS THEORY
- Theory of Human Behavior views family as an
emotional unit and uses systems thinking to
subscribe complex interactions in the unit.
- Functioning of family members is
interdependent: Change in one person’s
functioning is predictably followed by a
reciprocal change in the function of others.
- Emotional interdependence will intensify under
heightened tension (anxiety will escalate).
BOWEN FAMILY SYSTEMS THEORY, CONT’D
- Result:
Individual becomes overwhelmed,
isolated, and out of control. This is the person
who accomodates the most to reduce tension in
others.
- Person literally “absorbs” anxiety and is prone
to problems (i.e. drugs, alcohol, etc.)
HOW SUBSTANCE ABUSE AFFECTS FAMILIES
-Drug and alcohol abuse not only affects the abuser
and his/her life, but also the lives of family
members.
-Addictions often create interpersonal problems for all
family members, like;
 jealousy: you can grow jealous of your friends, your
partner, other family members and other people in
your life.
 Conflict with partner: you may have arguments,
get/give the “silent treatment” or grow apart by
putting your addictions first
HOW SUBSTANCE ABUSE AFFECTS FAMILIES ,
CONT’D
 Conflict with children: you may argue with your
children and they may disregard your authority or
be afraid of you
 Conflict over money: you may struggle
economically because of losing your job, taking
time off from your job, making poor financial
choices or simply pouring your money into your
addiction.
 Emotional Trauma: you may create emotional
hardships for your partner and or your children by
yelling, talking down, insulting or manipulating.
HOW SUBSTANCE ABUSE AFFECTS FAMILIES,
CONT’D
 Violence: you may become violent or your family
members may become violent with you, including
slapping, hitting or smashing or throwing objects.
 Cheating: you may become distant from your partner and
seek satisfaction through pornography, internet sex,
prostitution or someone else in your life who you feel
“understands” you.
 Separation: your behavior due to addiction may cause
separation, divorce and/or isolation from other family
members, particularly children, either because they’ve
been taken from you or because they don’t want to be
around.
HOW SUBSTANCE ABUSE AFFECTS FAMILIES,
CONT’D
 Patterns: your life example will influence your partner,
your children and other family members. There is a high
likelihood that your children will become addicted to
drugs or alcohol.
 Health Risks: drinking while pregnant can cause fetal
alcohol syndrome – damage to the baby’s brain. Smoking
in the household can cause health problems for family
members from secondhand smoke, including lung
cancer. Being under the influence of drugs and alcohol
will overall impair your judgment and can lead to neglect
or harm.
FAMILY ROLES IN CHEMICALLY-DEPENDENT
FAMILIES
-Rescuer/ Enabler: often steps in to save the addict, bails
the addict out, makes excuses or fills in for the addict.
Shielding the addict from consequences of substance
abuse makes it easier for the addict to continue using.
-Hero/Caretaker: Tries to divert attention away from the
problem by being too good to be true, secretly hoping
that exemplary behavior will somehow make it easier for
the addict to stop using. High achievers who do
everything to assure that the addict has as little
responsibility as possible, minimizing the possibilities for
trouble to occur.
FAMILY ROLES IN CHEMICALLY-DEPENDENT
FAMILIES, CONT’D
-Adjuster/Lost Child: Behaves apathetically to distance self
from pain; passively withdraw from upsetting situations;
hurting but attempts to avoid feeling the pain by refusing
to confront the addiction or its consequences.
-Scapegoat/Rebel: Draws attention away from the family’s
primary problem of dependency through delinquency or
other misbehavior, reacts to feeling trapped by the
situation at home by poor school performance, hostility
and other behavior problems.
-Mascots/Pleasers: Also draw attention away from the family
by trying to please, by acting in a humorous way; the
clown.
STEPS TO RECOVERY FOR ALL FAMILY
MEMBERS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE
-
Ask for Help: If someone close to you abuses alcohol or
drugs, the first step is to be open about the problem and
ask for help for yourself, your family and your loved one.

children who have alcohol or drug abuse in the
family can get help by talking with adults like
teachers, doctors or school counselors.
-
Get help for your loved one: Treatment is effective!
Getting a loved one into care and finding support
services for your family are the next steps toward
recovery.
.
STEPS TO RECOVERY FOR ALL FAMILY
MEMBERS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE,
CONT’D
-Find
out about treatment options: There are many
treatments that work for addiction. Talk to your health
care provider about these treatments. Stopping alcohol or
drug abuse is the first step to recovery and most people
need to stop.
-Talk with children: It is important to talk with children about
what is happening in the family and to help them talk
about their fears and feelings. Children need to trust the
adults in their lives and to believe that they will upport
them.
GROUP EXERCISE
1.
I would like everyone to write down the names of all members
of their family on a sheet of paper.
2. write down what you dislike about this member of the family.
3. write down what changes you would like to see with this
particular member of the family.
4. write down what changes you would like to see in your family
as a whole.
5. When you are finished, share your responses with the entire
family and work on setting goals that you as a family can
work towards in your substance abuse co-dependence
recovery.
REFERENCES
Bowen Family Systems Theory Ppt Presentation-Author Stream,
www.authorstream.com/.../The_Rock-51146-Bowen-Family-Systems-Theory
Effects of Substance Abuse on Families – Chicago Tribune.com,
www.chicagotribune.com/sns-health-addiction-families,o,2311189.story
Substance Abuse and its Impact on Family Systems,
www.uic.edu/jaddams/college/kincare/curriculum_videos/unit3.pdf
Substance Abuse Affects Families,
www.healthquality.va.gov/sud/SUDFamilyToolHiRes.pdf