My Mom Does Drugs The Impact on Kids When Parents Abuse Drugs

By Staff Writer

We hear a lot about teenagers using drugs and what parents can do to help – but what happens when it’s the parent using drugs? What resources are available for children and teens in crisis?

Government studies report that roughly 12 percent of children in the U.S. live with a parent who has a substance abuse problem. In an analysis of national data from 2002 to 2007, the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found that:

• Almost 7.3 million youths lived with a parent who was dependent on or abused alcohol.
• About 2.1 million children lived with a parent who was dependent on or abused illicit drugs.
• About 5.4 million children lived with a father who met the criteria for past-year substance abuse or chemical dependence.
• About 3.4 million children lived with a mother who met the criteria for past-year substance abuse or chemical dependence.

A Growing Problem for Women

Research shows more and more women are struggling with alcohol and drug problems. They are starting to drink earlier in life and tend to drink more heavily, often to cope with stress. Substance abuse treatment programs are also noticing a growing percentage of women age 40 and older being treated for harder drugs like cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamines.

Many women understand the risks of drinking or using drugs during pregnancy, but far fewer appreciate the risks of abusing substances after their child is born. Kids suffer greatly through their parents’ addictions. Children growing up with parents who abuse alcohol or drugs often suffer from chronic emotional stress, which causes long-term social and emotional developmental issues and can impede healthy brain development.

Kids tend to follow their parents’ model, making children of substance-abusing parents much more likely to use drugs and alcohol themselves. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), a caregiver’s abuse of drugs is one of the top risk factors for children abusing drugs.

The Link Between Substance Abuse, Depression, and Child Abuse

Substance abuse and depression often go hand in hand. Recent reports from the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine suggest that approximately 15.6 million children under 18 live with an adult who has had major depression in the past year and about one in five U.S. parents experience depression each year. Depression affects the entire family, particularly children, and increases the chances that children will have emotional and behavioral issues – yet only one-third of adult sufferers seek treatment for depression.

Parents who abuse alcohol or drugs are also three times more likely to abuse their children and four times more likely to neglect them than parents who do not abuse substances, according to a report from The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA). Their children are also more likely to suffer from depression, conduct disorders, anxiety, physical injuries, illnesses, and academic failure.

Other studies echo these findings. For example, a study conducted by two faculty members at the University of Buffalo School of Social Work found that mothers who have alcohol and drug problems tend to punish their children more severely (hitting, berating, throwing objects) than mothers who do not have substance abuse issues. The researchers concluded that because women more often have custody of their children and because there are fewer women in treatment than men, greater focus should be given to moms struggling with substance abuse.

Finding Treatment for Parents and Their Kids

When a child’s parents have been drinking or using drugs, he may feel embarrassed, responsible, hurt, betrayed, or confused by his parents’ unpredictable behavior. Not only does the parent need treatment but the child likely does as well. Children of substance-abusing parents need help to understand that they didn’t cause their parents’ problems and aren’t responsible for curing them. Treatment helps young people communicate their feelings, feel good about themselves, and separate their parents’ troubles from their own.

Kids should be free to “be kids” without worrying about the health and safety of mom or dad. The precious childhood years are years you can’t get back. If you need to get help for a drug or alcohol problem, your children may benefit from some time away at a teen wilderness camp or therapeutic boarding school, where they can continue their education while receiving the therapy they need to cope with their family struggles and any emotional or behavioral issues.

At the same time your child is going through treatment, you can be receiving treatment for your addiction and any co-occurring issues. Getting the right treatment early on can mean retaining custody of your children, preserving their emotional and physical health, and getting your own life back on track.

Many residential drug rehab centers offer family programs to educate family members about the disease of addiction, help reunite patients with their loved ones, and help them rebuild healthy relationships. Some also offer step-down levels of care to help parents gradually re-integrate into their community by offering support with finding employment, budgeting, returning to school, and working through family issues that may arise when a parent returns home after rehab.

According to a study by SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), substance abuse and crime decline dramatically when women with children complete residential addiction treatment programs. Within six months, the women in the study reduced their use of alcohol from 65 percent to 27 percent, cocaine from 34 percent to 9 percent, marijuana from 48 percent to 15 percent, meth from 21 percent to 6 percent, and heroin from 17 percent to 6 percent.

Since many individuals in rehab are mothers, participating in an addiction treatment program for women can be beneficial. These programs provide group therapy in a nurturing environment with other women and mothers, parenting classes, and family counseling.

To learn more about the type of treatment that will work best with your lifestyle and the needs of your family, call the National Resource Center at (877) 637-6237.

My Mom Does Drugs The Impact on Kids When Parents Abuse Drugs

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