Alcoholism

Sonja Brownlee, Md, FAAP
Pediatrician

1825 Pinion Road, Suite E
Elko, Nevada 89801
775-778-6762

Office Hours

8:30 am - 4:30 pm, Monday through Thursday

8:30 am - 12:00 pm Friday (Staff Only)

Last Updated 1/2010

The information contained on this web site is not a substitute for direct examination and treatment by a physician. If any of this material is unclear or confusing, or if you have additional questions or concerns, please call the office at 778-6762.

Disclaimer:Sonja Brownlee,M.D. cannot endorse all links presented on the website as they may link to unrelated third-party websites.

Alcoholism

Sources of help for alcoholics and their families are available from Alcoholics Anonymous and its associated group for family members, Al-Anon. Both publish a series of informative pamphlets on alcoholism - its effect on the entire family, and the usual process of recovery. You can look up the telephone number of the nearest office of AA in your local directory or on the internet at www.aa.org.

Many books have been published on the subject of alcoholism. Amazon.com has a large range of listings. A few suggestions are:

An Elephant in the Living Room, by Marion H. Typpo and Jill M. Hastings, Compcare Publishing, 1994, 67 pages. Filled with questions for readers to answer, blanks to fill in, and pictures to draw, this well-though-out, hands-on workbook is designed to help its readers, ages 4 to 8, understand their own feelings about having an alcoholic parent.

I Wish Daddy Didn't Drink So Much, by Judith Figna. Nicely illustrated and sensitively written, for 4 to 8 year olds.

Kids' Power: Healing games for Children of Alcoholics, by Jerry Moe and Don Pohlman. It has many interactive exercises for the entire family designed to start open discussions and promote a better understanding of the problems associated with alcoholism.

The Brown Bottle, by Penny Jones, Hazelden Information Education, 1983, 40 pages. For younger children, this is the poignant story of a caterpillar who is attracted to a seemingly magical brown bottle. Over time, he finds himself trapped inside and never gets to see many of life's promises fulfilled.

Dear Kids of Alcoholics, by Lindsey Hall and Leigh Cohn, Gurze Design and Books, 1988, 94 pages. Jason, the narrator, tells readers ages 8 to 17 what life with an alcoholic parent is like as seen through the eyes of a school-age child. Interspersed throughout the story are relevant definitions, explanations of common issues, and the emotions Jason feels about alcohol abuse and its impact on the family.

Different Like Me: A Book for Teens Who Worry about Their Parent's Use of Alcohol/Drugs, by Evelyn Leite and Pamela Espeland, Johnson Institute, 1989, 110 pages. This book helps older children and teenagers explore their feelings about living with a parent who abuses alcohol or drugs. It present facts, refutes myths, and answers common questions frankly. The book's reassuring message empowers the reader.

Everything You Need to Know About An Alcoholic Parent (revised edition), by Nancy Shuker, Rosen Publishing group, 1998, 64 pages. Written for older children and early adolescents, this book offers a realistic look at what alcoholism is. It discusses the effect on the family and describes concrete ways to find help and hope.