Community Outreach
It is our responsibility to take control of our communities and not allow the devastating effects of abuse and addiction circulate throughout our lives and filter down to our children. Strengthening families and preventing child abuse requires a shared commitment of individuals and organizations in every community
Children and Addiction
Alcoholism and drug addiction is taking a toll on the American family. As a result, 8.3 million children in the United States, approximately 11 percent, live with at least one parent who is in need of treatment for alcohol- or drug-dependency. One in four children under the age of 18 is living in a home where alcoholism or alcohol abuse is a fact of daily life. Countless others are exposed to illegal drug use in their families.
The toll addiction takes on these children can be substantial. Children of addiction are at significantly greater risk for:
- mental illness or emotional problems, such as depression or anxiety;
- physical health problems; and
- learning problems, including difficulty with cognitive and verbal skills, conceptual reasoning and abstract thinking.
In addition, children whose parents abuse alcohol or drugs are almost three times more likely to be verbally, physically or sexually abused; and four times more likely than other children to be neglected. Strong scientific evidence also suggests that addiction tends to run in families. Children of alcoholics are four times more likely than non-Children of addiction to develop alcoholism or other drug problems.
How You Can Help
Most adults can support Children of addiction in three ways. First, you can provide children with age-appropriate information about alcohol, drugs and the disease of addiction. The most important messages for Children of addiction to hear from trusted adults are:
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Alcohol/drug dependency is an illness. It is not your fault that your parent drinks too much or uses drugs, and you are not responsible for correcting it.
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You can take care of yourself by talking with a trusted person and making healthy choices in your own life.
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Treatment for alcohol/drug dependency is available and can be effective in getting a parent with addiction on the road to recovery.
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You are not alone. You need and deserve services. There are safe people and places that can help you.
Third, and perhaps most important, you can take the time to develop a healthy adult/child relationship with a Children of addiction who needs you. Children who live in alcohol- and drug-dependent families learn not to trust adults. By offering your time and an open ear to provide assurance and validation, you can counteract much of that mistrust and make an immeasurable and positive impact on a child's life.
If you are in a position to influence the adults in the family, help them find a qualified professional who is experienced with intervention and can help them get the assessment and treatment they need to begin recovery. An actual family intervention only should be undertaken with a qualified professional who is experienced in the intervention process.
Understanding Children and Addiction
Children living in alcohol- or drug-dependent homes are regularly confronted with denial, shame and silence about their family experience. The unpredictability and irrationality caused by the addiction in the family often creates an atmosphere that is blaming, emotionally hurtful and sometimes physically unsafe. Children of addiction often feel obligated to take on the parental responsibilities. For many, this results in a loss of childhood.
Although some Children of addiction will outwardly exhibit negative behaviors that may alert the adults around them that there may be a problem at home, others work hard to succeed and please in spite of the stresses at home. Often these children do not have a balanced childhood, that may result in negative consequences for the future, including an increased risk of substance abuse problems.
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