|
Children in the care of one or both parents suffering through drug addiction can find themselves facing some pretty serious consequences. They are more like to suffer from neglect, physical and sexual abuse than children of non-addicted parents. Children of Addicted Parents are at Higher Risk of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Both genetics and environmental factors come into play when it comes to the increased risk for children of addicted parents to follow in their tragic footsteps. Studies show that the use of addictive substances by parents and their teens is closely related. In a nutshell: if a teen’s parents take drugs chances are sooner or later the teen will too. Studies confirm that teens that use drugs are more likely to have one or more parents who use drugs too. The Family Dynamic is Defined by Drug Abuse or Addiction Families dealing with alcohol or drug addiction are more than likely to experience frequent episodes of conflict than families with no addiction. Children of addict parents often live in environments characterized by lack of supervision, poor home management and lack of family communication skills. Many addicted parents fail to provide their children with structure or discipline, yet expect them to handle a wide range of tasks competently much soon than a non-addicted parent typically would. Sadly the children of these families grow up modeling the only behavior they know. They have no good examples of good parenting skills, communication of family effectiveness. Children Living with Addicted Parents are at High Risk for Placement Outside the Home Children living with addicted parents are 75% more likely to wind up in foster care than other children. Around 78% of all teen runaways and homeless reveal alcohol or drug abuse at home. Every year around 11,900 babies are abandoned, or retained, at hospitals. Seventy-eight percent of those abandoned babies have been exposed to drugs during pregnancy. Children of Addicts Experience Anxiety and Depression More Often Children with addict parents are at higher risk of developing depression and anxiety disorders than those with non-addicted parents. In fact, children with addicted parents have a higher risk of developing psychiatric and psychosocial dysfunctions and alcoholism. Children of Addicts Experience More Problems with Interpersonal Adjustment Research has shown that children of alcohol and drug addicts have problems adjusting to interpersonal interactions and are predisposed to maladjustments later in life. These children are more likely to display a lack of empathy toward others, low self-esteem and a lack of control over their environment. About the Author: Robert Shryoc is the Director of Development at the Stonegate Center, a Texas treatment center. The Texas drug rehab community serves people entangled in the physical, mental, social and spiritual bonds of chemical dependency. For more information about the residential treatment facility please visit http:www.stonegatecenter.com.
Related Articles -
drug addiction, health care, drug rehab treatment,
| 
