25% of adults in Ireland grew up with a problem drinker at home

A new study has found that almost 1 million people in Ireland have grown up in the same household as a problem drinker.

The Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) report, which was recently conducted by experts at Maynooth University, discovered that 25% of adults in Ireland had a problem drinker in their home during their childhood.

The study, which has been supported by Alcohol Action Ireland (AAI), also noted that there is a “significant association" between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and growing up with someone who is struggling with alcohol.

Following the release of the report, AAI has argued that the study’s findings should warrant the Government to take action against issues surrounding mental health and alcohol.

The AAI’s chief executive, Dr Sheila Gilheany, stated that the study proves that "we are in denial about the harm alcohol causes to children".

"It is imperative that we start to take this issue more seriously and to realise the impact that problem alcohol use in the home is having on invisible victims of alcohol harm — children. Often when a child has mental health needs they are manifesting some trauma in the family," she explained.

With this new research, Dr Gilheany insisted that progress must be made by Government "to ensure that professionals including GPs, social workers, teachers, psychologists, psychiatrists and other mental health workers, must be trained in how to recognise the traits of this ACE and its impacts across the lifespan".

"It’s important to say that this is not about blaming parents. Irish society is saturated with alcohol marketing that sells a powerful myth that alcohol doesn't have any downsides,” she continued.

"Parents are dealing with their own stresses and traumas and a lack of trauma-informed services to help people with mental health needs and substance use issues that are so common these days, leads people to use alcohol more and more,” Dr Gilheany concluded.