Drugs and Alcohol Exacerbating Anxiety in Family Systems

It saddens me to see people treating their social anxiety with drugs and alcohol, the very things that exacerbate it. Over time the chemical dependence becomes a vicious cycle of needing more to get the same result. This creates a downward spiral of mental and physical deterioration, as well as destroying trust, communication and family relationships. These issues when unsolved become multi-generational coping strategies destroying the family. Even when one person becomes clean and sober, a new phase of hard work has begun. The rest of the family has to relearn their roles.