Harm to family

Harm to family

Finding help

When individuals drink heavily or binge drink on a regular basis, it can lead to serious alcohol-related harms to the individual, and can have major impacts on the whole family. 

Alcohol use is considered harmful when it negatively affects major areas of a person’s life, including:

  • physical and mental health
  • relationships
  • work  
  • finances

When parents, caregivers or other family members are drinking alcohol in harmful ways, it is dangerous for the individual and can affect the health and well-being of everyone in the home.

Impacts on the individual and the family include:

  • Increases in family conflict and violence in the home.
  • Increases in family breakups.
  • Negative impacts on children.
  • Financial problems when money is spent on alcohol instead of other needs.
  • Increased crime and risk of going to jail.
  • Loss of jobs and increased risk of poverty and homelessness.
  • Alcohol-related accidents, injuries and deaths.

This section provides information on how alcohol can impact the family and steps that families can take to reduce the harm.