Attitude toward alcoholics and their families

The objective of this work was to find out whether alcoholics undergoing therapy are considered rightful members of society. We also examined the attitudes of society toward the alcoholic's family. Alcoholism is a specific disorder. Alcohol-addicted persons deny their illness and often engage their closest surrounding in the denial system. They also find in the society a specific margin of consent to drink. Research shows that treated alcoholics believe the society has a low level of knowledge concerning alcohol addiction. They fear the perspective of going back to work or finding a new job after finishing therapy. Studies done among the inhabitants of the mountainous Podhale Region in Poland show that a high percentage of people are convinced that one should be ashamed of being an alcoholic and many would feel awkward in the presence of a sober alcoholic. The people declare that they would not trust a person being treated because of the addiction and name professions that alcoholics should not work in. The spouse of an alcoholic is often blamed for the addiction, and children of alcoholics are perceived as people with worse life perspectives than their peers.