As an emotional system, substance abuse and mental illnesses runs rapid in my family. Alcoholism has been passed down through my father’s side of the family and the act of not becoming an alcoholic is a conscience decision every day. All of the substance abuse began when my brothers moved out of the house so my father felt as if there was nothing he could do about it. The drugs certainly put a strain on the family dynamics. Because of the substance abuse and mental illness issues, anxiety was a constant problem. Anxiety was rarely addressed and if it were, it would be dealt with in a humorous way. McGoldrick mentions how the, “very act of sharing a laugh can help to reduce the tension and restore some of the commonality that has been cut off
