Substance abuse can include consuming a variety of chemical substances, such as alcohol and legal or illegal drugs, in order to alter the state of the user’s mind. It temporarily lets the abuser escape reality and relax in social settings, but at a cost.
Substance abuse results in physical and emotional dependence on the chemicals in these drugs. This negatively affects not only the user but also their family. Substance use disorders require professional intervention to overcome.
If you have a loved one who uses substances even on a “recreational” basis, while simultaneously raising a family, it is important to be aware of the effects substance use can have on the lives of children.
Educate yourself and those in your life with these 4 ways substance use can alter the state of an otherwise stable household and impact the lives of growing children.
- Financial Issues
No matter your loved one’s profession or source of income, funding a habit of substance use is expensive. Money that is used to buy substances is less money spent on supporting their children’s hobbies and future higher education.
There a number of studies available that show a correlation between lower economic status and increased instances of substance abuse. If your loved one is already in a less-than-ideal financial situation, a habit of using substances makes it difficult for them to provide their children with access to necessities like food, clothing, and a stable place to live.
- Legal and Safety Issues
Drugs and alcohol impair judgment, motor skills, and rational thinking. If your loved one is actively involved in their child’s life, being under the influence of dangerous substances can put their child’s safety in danger.
Especially if the parent engages in “occasional” substance use, they may have a tendency to put too much confidence in their ability to safely drive a vehicle or care for their child under the influence.
If your loved one keeps illegal substances in their house, legal issues can arise and uproot a child from the home. In 2016, 34% of cases of children being placed into foster care were caused by at least one parent abusing substances.
- Emotional and Physical Abuse is More Prevalent
Parents under the influence tend to be mentally absent from their children’s lives. In extreme cases, this can lead to instances of abandonment: failing to teach their children a sense of basic responsibility and morality, and neglecting to provide much-needed affirmation, encouragement, and love.
Children raised by addicts are more likely to exhibit depression and anxiety and obtain eating disorders.
Stimulant drugs are linked to outbursts of aggression, jealousy, and paranoia. If a child is around a parent experiencing these emotions, they can be the target of either physical abuse such as hitting or sexual assault.
- Children Are More Prone To Becoming Addicts
Compared to children raised by attentive and non-using parents, Children raised by a drug abuser are more than twice as likely to suffer from an alcohol or drug use disorder later on in life. Being around substances from an early age can make children more susceptible to becoming addicts, even if their parent is a recreational user. This consistent exposure makes substances normalized in the child’s mind, and they aren’t properly educated on the dangers that substances can present.
Additionally, children raised by substance users are generally sadder, more anxious, and lonelier. It is common for them to turn to substances in order to fit into certain social groups and escape emotional pain and trauma.
Use this list as an educational resource and motivator to speak up for a child in your life who is being raised by a using parent.
