How Addiction Affects The Family
Developing an addiction in itself is one of the worst things that can happen to someone in life. However, if this disease occurs within a family with young children, the consequences can be even more dramatic. Children see their parents as a reference and a role model, especially when they are younger. There is places for an addict to get help. one of them is substance abuse treatment Texas An addicted parent is usually the cause of many problems in the family where the most affected are the children. This not only affects their development during their transformative stage towards adult life. It can also put health and the ability to relate to others at risk. At infiniterecovery.com, we look at how having an addicted parent affects children.
How It Affects Family Life
To see the effect that living with an addicted father or mother has on children, we must first look at the problems that addiction causes for everyone in the family. The most common problems that occur in the family are:
- A parent finds it hard to pay bills and maintain a good employment status
- Insufficient finances and food
- Possible that older children have the responsibility of taking care of their younger family members
- Parents might mistreat, abuse or neglect their own children
- Possibility of driving while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs
- A parent who abuses substances can get in trouble, hurt themselves, or hurt other people
- Children may need to live with other people to be well cared for and protected
- Parents separate or divorce, which pulls the family apart
How Children Experience Addiction At Home
There are many feelings that children experience when they live with an addicted father or mother. The most common are:
- Feeling ashamed, angry, or sad about a parent's substance abuse
- Worrying about themselves, their siblings, or their other parent
- Believing they have to behave like an adult before they are ready for it
- Are frustrated that their parent does not change and continues to abuse substances
- Are overwhelmed by the situation
- Are afraid, lonely, or insecure when at home
- Feeling that it is hard to trust others or relax
- Are concerned for the health or safety of their parent
- May experience depression or anxiety
- Feeling relief when their parent takes steps to recover
Actions to Take
The youngest children at home with an addicted parent are the most vulnerable when addiction is in a family. For this reason, it often has repercussions on their behavior and development. Some of the problems that may appear are:
- Making an effort not to upset the parent who is abusing substances
- Trying to stay away from the parent
- They may not speak or stop asking for what they need
- They keep emotions to themselves
- They keep the problem from their father or mother a secret
- They hide what their life is like at home
- Avoid inviting friends over because they never know how their parent might act
- Skip class or have trouble keeping up with homework
- Perform adult tasks
- Argue or fight with their parent
- Harm themselves (self-harm)
- They act as if the parent's behavior doesn't matter to them, despite having a really hard time with it
The Solution
It is normal that children who have to live with an addicted father or mother are having a very bad time. However, they need to know that there are several things they can do to cope. Sometimes people need to go to therapy to develop good habits that they could not learn when living with a parent who was alcoholic or addicted to other substances. It is always good to speak to a professional like novarecoverycenter.com.
