Family Problems and Ways to Address them

What are the most common family problems and what are the different ways to address family problems?

Family Problems

Are there any ideal families? This is a great question to ask, and in all honesty, one can easily answer such a question by saying that there are no ideal families and no family is without some form of family problems. Nevertheless, some families have much better relationships than others. The fact of the matter is that all families experience different types of family problems from time to time.

Even in very normal and healthy families, family problems can result from different issues. Some of the issues may appear simple, but they could lead to more serious problems down the road if unaddressed. Who may describe some of the issues within family members as communication-related, but other more serious family problems also could be present. This article discusses family problems and ways to solve them.

Family Bonding

Families often bond with other family members. Such bonding often means that each family member relies on one another for all kinds of support. Many people draw inspiration, love, strength and motivation from their family members. Most families are devastated when family problems interfere with the normal day to day relationships with other family members.

Once the family bond and cohesion are broken, frustration, stress and anger sets in and ultimately impacts every family member. Issues such as that, if unresolved, could develop into more serious family issues and blended family problems.

List of family problems

List of family problems

Bereavement– Death of a family member sometimes results in all kinds of family problems, particularly if the dead family member is the sole income earner for the family. The loss of a family member could be devastating to other family members, not just the older adults, but also to the young who may not fully understand what happened and how to deal with such loss. Other complicated emotional problems could result from bereavement issues following the loss of a family member.

Money MattersLike no other issue, money is perhaps the number one problem facing many families. Some family problems originate from a lack of enough financial resources. Still, even when families have enough money, other problems may also originate from who should spend money. Family businesses can sometimes generate problems for the entire family. When all family members are part of the business, such a situation often leads to a complicated financial relationship among family members.

Drug AbuseAlcoholism and drug abuse are serious sources of family problems. Often when people are under the influence of drugs or other mind-altering substances, they engage in strange acts which may cause serious problems for the family. Substance abuse and dependency do indeed cause problems for many families.

Issues related to Personal Behavior– Other behavioral issues may threaten families in one way or the other. For instance, when a spouse engages in a cheating behavior pattern, it could lead to serious problems for the family. Behavioral problems could also result from other emotional problems which may not be connected to alcohol or drug dependency.

Academic problems– Young family members may have academic problems from school, resulting in unhappiness and sadness for some family members. At times the school problem may not be academic. Such problems could also result from behavioral issues which need to be addressed by other family members. Bullying in schools often leads to the unhappiness of the person being bullied, which could lead to other family problems at home.

Issues related to mental healthMental health is one major cause of family problems. Often family members seem to be in denial about family member’s mental health condition and may not seek medical assistance over such a problem promptly. Such issues demand professional help.

Divorce and Separation problems– Divorce and separation matters often pose serious problems for the whole family and not just for the spouses. Children are often devastated when mother and father are separated or in divorce courts.

Illness– Other health problems can lead to serious problems for the family. If the ailing family member is the sole source of financial support, the family may also experience financial issues.

How to solve Family problems

There is no single method and approach set out for addressing and resolving all kinds of family problems. Each problem demands a different approach and solution. Some of the methods may require professional help, and in some cases, families can take certain measures first to try and work things out through discussing matters among themselves. One approach that is often not utilized to the extent that it should address family problems is increasing Communication among all family members.

Role of Communications

Better communications among family members generally lead to better family relationships and getting along. According to experts, effective family members’ Communication will go a long way in addressing common family problems. Rick Peterson, the Specialist and Assistant Professor, Department of Human Development at Virginia Tech, suggests that “Effective Communication is an important characteristic of strong, healthy families.

Does research identify Communication as an essential building block of strong marital, parent-child, and sibling relationships? The point here is that many issues that eventually develop into real family problems could be addressed before they become a family problem through strong family communications.

It is therefore strongly recommended that families try to increase communications among themselves. Through open communications family, members build more trust in one another, which is an important component of better family bonding.

Professional Therapy

Family therapists get involved in more serious family problems by organizing family-group therapy sessions depending on the situation and circumstance, which may require individual therapy after group sessions. The purpose of Family therapy sessions is to get family members to start collaborating to address family issues. Prominent among some of the issues often addressed through family group therapies is the issue of Communication.

The therapist once again coaches family members to understand other family members better through family therapies. Some more serious family problems which are not related to breaking down in communications among the family could only be handled through therapy.