Co-dependence

Co-dependence

Co-dependence is developed where a problem has been witnessed in a stressful environment. People may become codependent when they find themselves being affected in a stressful family setup, and where alcoholism and drug abuse is practiced (“Study Notes: For Final Exam,” n.d, slide 7). They experience hardships in making decisions regarding the alcoholic or drug addicts in the family. Consequently, family members develop psychological problems that they cannot discern unless they experience significant family conflicts. Thus, codependency is a condition that people may not recognize.

Codependency affects the victims’ functioning by the development of undesirable traits. Family members develop impaired identity development, fear, anger, rigidity, shame, despair, and may become confused (“Study Notes: For Final Exam,” n.d, 7). These symptoms are indicative of the inability to control one’s emotions. Codependency involves individuals in a relationship, in which, if it occurs in a family, all family members may be affected directly or indirectly. Furthermore, codependent people experience these challenges. After all, they cannot identify their emotions because they value other people more than themselves.

The right prefrontal cortex would react negatively to trauma. According to Davidson (2019), negative emotions are developed in the right prefrontal cortex (para. 6). Exposure of the children of ages 12 and 14 years old to an alcoholic environment and bad friends may make them alcoholic. Besides, they may become codependent on their peers. Thus, they would develop moods in harsh conditions characterized by social unrest and racism.

Question 2

The parents are the children’s role models and should teach their children about taking responsibility for their lives. They should warn the children about the effects of alcoholism in their tender age. However, the children may not be compelled to listen due to the effect of cognitive dissonance. They may argue that they are not the first to test alcohol and purport that it is psychological experimentation (“Study Notes: For Final Exam,” n.d, slide 28). Justifying why people do certain activities when they know it is wrong is a form of cognitive dissonance. They are always in a dilemma, feeling the need to do or not. Thus, the parents should discourage them from justifying alcohol consumption based on their friends and encourage them to take personal responsibility.

Peers are among the institutions through which people of all ages socialize. Similarly, teenagers have peer groups, of which some comprise of children who can influence others into drug abuse and alcoholism. Besides, public school is another channel through which children interact. Thus, peer groups outside schools and friends acquired in public schools contribute to some children’s behavioral changes due to influence.

I would use the concept of peer pressure to explain to the children what causes them to engage in alcoholism. The socialization area that affects the children is an institution of peers, contributing to socialization (“Human Socialization,” slide 3). By introducing this concept, I should explain to the teenagers that their friends contribute to their behavior. Furthermore, I should inform them that public school is a broader channel through which they may be significantly influenced. Thus, peer group and school friends can influence them to engage in alcoholism, and they should be careful while choosing friends.

Question 3

Smith argues that a falsified justification causes his increased alcohol consumption, and he is not an alcoholic like his partner soldier (Smith, 2014, p. 118). The author knows that consuming alcohol during working hours is not right. His friend drinks alcohol even during lunchtime. Nevertheless, since his friend drinks alcohol during lunchtime and does not do so, he claims that he is better. His consciousness allows him to accept that there is no distinction between a non-alcoholic and alcoholic person as long as both consume alcohol.

The author justified excessive alcohol as a way of escaping tribulations. A man known as Bob had died of cirrhosis had succumbed to death due to excessive drinking of alcohol (Smith, 2014, p. 26). The author knows that alcohol is harmful to humans through his experience with the death of Bob. However, he does not even reduce the rate of drinking. Smith also admits that he faces the effects of cognitive dissonance. For example, people admit that they develop shame, as it is one of the cognitive’s dissonance outcomes (Smith, 2014, p. 118). Cognitive dissonance awakens him whenever he has just recovered from drunkenness, an indication that he is aware of the impact of cognitive dissonance.