How Does Addiction Affect the Family?
There’s no question that addiction has adverse consequences for an individual. But when it starts affecting the family, it can add another level of complexity, making it even more difficult to bear. Addiction can cause all sorts of problems for family members, including financial struggles, emotional turmoil, and damaged relationships. In this article, I will briefly discuss the ways that addiction can impact an entire family.
Substance use can potentially cause a divide in even the most peaceful and loving homes. Frustration and conflict are common among families who are fighting to get their addicted loved one back on the right track. Trust can be depleted, and healthy communication can suddenly seem impossible.
If your family member is suffering from a substance use disorder, you may witness them changing drastically before your eyes. They might act aggressively or erratically, or lose excessive weight. They might manipulate or lie to family members to get what they want. All of these things can be traumatic to witness, especially if you cannot identify the underlying cause behind their behavior.
How Does Addiction Affect Children?
When a child grows up in a home where a parent suffers from addiction, it can have severe long-term effects. According to the CDC, Adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood. ACEs can include witnessing violence, abuse, neglect, or watching a caregiver using drugs or alcohol. Emotional and physical abuse and distress can affect a child’s ability to achieve normal developmental milestones.
Research suggests that children who grow up witnessing their parents suffer from substance abuse disorders have significantly higher chances of developing a substance abuse disorder themselves. In addition to this, they are more prone to neglect and physical or sexual abuse throughout their lifetime.
How Can Teenage Addiction Affect the Family?
Teenage substance use disorders can take a dramatic toll on the entire family. Because teenagers are still coming into their own, they can be quite susceptible to peer pressure. This puts them at a higher risk of using substances and developing a physical or emotional dependence on an addictive substance.
When you have a teenager in your family who is suffering from addiction, the side effects can impact the entire household. A teenager with addiction might run away from home, have poor school performance, steal money from loved ones, and experience a variety of other harmful results. Often teenage addiction will result in strained relationships among family members and cause parental anguish.
What To Do If Your Family Member is Suffering from Addiction
If you or a loved one is suffering from a substance use disorder, you are not alone. Thankfully, there are plenty of resources available to help. Talking to a licensed addiction counselor can help. They can help you and your loved ones navigate a safe route to sobriety. Addiction treatment is available. Take a look at the Treatment Finders at the top of the Addiction Support resources page for a list of treatment providers in your area.
Angel Ayala LPC, LCDC
Angel is a licensed addiction counselor, therapist, writer, and conference presenter. He advocates for addiction awareness and recovery in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. Angel is the current president of Ft. Worth TAAP (Texas Association of Addiction Professionals) and endeavors to be a lifelong learner
