Financial Problems Often Occur
One of the often-overlooked effects of drug addiction on family members is the financial problems that may arise. Drug addiction is not cheap and requires a lot of money and time. Frequent drug abuse can end up causing someone to lose their job and responsibilities. Once someone is addicted, they may go to far lengths to get their drugs. If the person has a family, this financial burden will begin to affect them as well.
They may begin to have trouble providing food, clothing, rent, and a roof over their familys head. Drug use can also indirectly cause problems if the addict gets into legal problems like drinking while intoxicated or using illegal drugs. This can create much financial stress on the entire family.
Family members who enable a loved ones addiction can also contribute to the familys financial problems. They may give addicted individuals money to buy drugs or alcohol, thinking that theyre being helpful. This usually makes the situation worse because it allows continued use while depleting their finances. This may create a dependency problem because they may rely on a loved one to care for their financial needs.
The Effects Addiction Has On Family Members
Addiction is a complex and progressive disease that slowly robs the addict of their physical, emotional and psychological well-being. While the devastating effects of addiction on the addict is well-documented, it only paints half the overall picture. In order to fully grasp the overall effects of an individuals addiction, you also need to take into account the effects of addiction on family members. The actions and behaviors of a loved one who is addicted to drugs and alcohol has significant impacts on their family and causes severe dysfunction both in the ways they cope with the addict in the family as well as how family members interact with one another.
The Balance Between Positivity And Accountability
While its important to be positive and focus on improving self-talk and conscientiousness, accountability is just as crucial. Toxic positivity can take over when someone is excessively proud or complacent. Its important to recognize faults, and where theres still work to do while feeling a sense of achievement.
As the loved one of someone recovering from a substance use disorder, you can help them remain accountable by displaying this behavior yourself. A substance abuse counselor can help you both to remain accountable while striving for a better life together.
You May Like: What Do Drug Addicts Use Tampons For
How Does Addiction Affect Families
Of course, addiction impacts everyone in a unique way, and no two peoples experiences are the same. This is true of family members as well. Theres no right or wrong way to respond to addiction. It takes over someones body and mind in a way thats profound and hard to understand unless youve experienced the effects.
Negative traits are exaggerated and positive traits abandoned in an addicted persons quest to fulfill the seemingly inescapable urge to abuse substances. It can turn loving relationships fraught and difficult and render someone who was once honest and kind deceitful and selfish. Addiction tends to affect different family members in distinct ways.
Effects Of Drug Addiction On Family And Friends
Addiction can feel catastrophic because of the seismic waves of destruction it can lead to. Some of the most common ways we see addiction affect friends and family include:
- Partners, parents, children or close friends can turn into caretakers, which puts a huge strain on that person
- People who struggle with drug addiction or alcoholism can lose touch with their friends and family entirely
- Loved ones of an addicted person might blame themselves, causing their self-esteem to erode
- Trust usually breaks down when one person in a relationship uses substances to excess
- Heated arguments are much more likely to occur when one person is defensive and belligerent as a result of inebriation or withdrawal
Read Also: How To Cure Marijuana Addiction
Being Married To A Drug Addict
Drug addiction and family relationships do not mix well, but being married to an addict may be even more difficult. Especially in relationships where only one partner has a substance abuse problem, alcohol and drugs can ruin a marriage or long-term relationship. Alcoholism has been linked to higher divorce rates, and one partners addiction can lead to the other partner having to shoulder an unfair share of the household responsibilities.7
When both spouses are equally addicted to drugs or alcohol, it may not increase the chance for divorce, but the households atmosphere will become much more toxic as a result.8 One sober partner can at least try to keep the house in order and encourage the substance abuser to get help. A relationship with two addicts allows each partner to feed off of and enable the other. Addiction will likely lead to the slow deterioration of the relationship, as both addicts will be primarily focused on feeding their addictions rather than cultivating the relationship or handling any household responsibilities.
Teens: Damaging Effects At A Pivotal Moment
When a teenager struggles with substance abuse, the issue may be exacerbated by their young age. Theres more risk because the teenagers brain is not fully developed yet, and they should still have a long, happy life ahead. But addiction can cause damaging mental problems, physical dependencies, and even has the potential to cut a life short.
If you fear that your child may be addicted to drugs, its critical to intervene before the grip of addiction becomes too strong to wrangle them loose.
Here are some shocking facts about the effects of addiction on family members by teenagers:
Seventy-five percent of high school students have tried an addictive substance before, and one out of five of those students could qualify as addicted.
Nine out of 10 addicted American adults began their behaviors before they turned 18.
Forty-six percent of high school-aged kids are currently using an addictive substance.
Over forty percent of all current 10th graders drink alcohol.
One advantage of dealing with an adolescent with a substance abuse problem is that, as a parent, you have some control over their finances and what happens in the household. Parents will often yield this power to convince their children to seek out treatment programs.
Recommended Reading: How To Rewire Your Brain To End Addiction
How Addiction Affects The Family
Start the road to recovery
Get confidential help 24/7. Call now for:
- Access to top treatment centers
- Caring, supportive guidance
Addiction Center is not affiliated with any insurance.
Common Questions About Rehab
Am I covered for addiction treatment?
Have a confidential, completely free conversation with a treatment provider about your financial options.
Getting Professional Addiction Treatment
The impact of substance abuse on families is stressful and painful, this is why getting professional treatment is needed. After your loved one has agreed to get professional help its important to choose the program that will best fit their needs. At The Owls Nest, we provide a wide range of treatment options such as outpatient treatment and other therapy options. Dont wait give us a call today! Get started on your journey towards sobriety.
Read Also: How Often Do Addicts Relapse
Adult Children With An Addiction: Loss Of Power
However, when a parent is dealing with their grown up childs affliction, they have little control over the situation. The power to impose consequences is greatly diminished, and much is dependent on the addicted individuals own choices. When the adult child lives outside of the parents household, theres even less power.
Find Family Addiction Treatment At Kingsway Recovery
At Kingsway Recovery, our approach to the treatment of drug addiction focuses on a wide range of intensive programs and services. We offer family therapy, family education workshops, and family-based events. Our staff will work with you and your loved one to find the perfect balance of services to meet your needs.
We offer a holistic and therapeutic approach to healing at our Kingsway Recovery facility. We are focused on finding a long-term solution for you or your loved ones addiction to drugs. We believe that in order for this solution to be successful it is important that the process includes all family members. Building support and trust are necessary for everyone involved in the treatment process.
We know that the journey that led you to reach this point has not been easy. Our experienced staff at Kingsway Recovery looks forward to speaking with you about the recovery process. Please reach out to us today for more information and find out how to take the first step.
Also Check: How To Overcome Alcohol Addiction
The 6 Ways Drug Addiction Affects The Family The Most
A drug addict has one primary focus where their next fix is going to come from and when that fix will take place. The drug users lack of self-respect, and lack of respect for those around them, become evident very quickly. The drugs become a priority over everything else in their lives. Kingsway Recovery, located in Mullica Hill, New Jersey, can help you or your loved one change that focus. We are ready to help you or your loved one make your family a priority once again.
When the drug addict is your family member the emotional toll and effect that the addiction has on your entire family can be overwhelming. The stress of the overall situation, the fear of your loved one getting caught with an illegal substance, and the financial strain it can place on your family are very real. The drug addict will choose drugs over choosing to be a responsible, contributing member of the family every chance he or she gets.
Having a family member who is addicted to drugs is never easy, no matter which family member it is. The direct effect that the addiction has on everyone in the family will vary depending on who the drug addict is. Parents who are dealing with their own child who is abusing drugs face different issues and challenges compared to a child who is dealing with a parent who is addicted to drugs. If you are the spouse of someone who is an addict then your situation is also different.
What Are Some Of The Effects On Parent
Beyond the aforementioned ways, an addiction can actually shape the way a parent interacts with their child and vice versa these behaviors may manifest with children of any age, including adults. The SAMHSA publication speaks of various negative or harmful patterns that may be prevalent within a family when a parent or child suffers from an addiction. They include:
You May Like: How Many People Are Addicted To Marijuana
How Drug Addiction Impacts Family Life
When someone struggling with addiction isnt aware of the impact their problems have on their own life, they generally fail to understand how their addiction affects the people around them. As a result, family members may be unable to help their loved one understand the larger impact addiction has. Family members themselves may also be blind to some of the effects drug addiction has on themselves and their family at large.
At Catalyst Recovery, weve seen a wide range of family situations and how addiction affects families. These are the most common patterns weve recognized and how family members can work to overcome them.
How Does Addiction Affect Family Life
When a family member has a drug or alcohol addiction, they have a disease that has the power to affect and hurt their entire family, including parents, children, brothers, sisters, grandparents, or any family member who is a part of their life. An addiction can cause tension, miscommunication, and more frequent arguments within a household, raising the stress levels and negativity off all who are within this unhealthy atmosphere.
The unpredictability of a family member who compulsively takes drugs or drinks alcohol can cause anxiety, emotional pain, stress, and a loss of trust, because that individual often canât be counted on to follow through with what they say. Job instability, late nights, and erratic and abnormal behavior may all result from an addiction in a way that damages a familyâs foundation. The addicted individual can get unfocused, forgetful, or distracted, as more often than not, their mind is solely on their addiction.
Due to these things, surrounding family members may have to take on greater responsibilities, causing even more strain and a variety of negative emotions, like blame, resentment, hate, anger, and even fear. As trust continues to falter, family members are on edge as they strive to stay aware of the different lies their addicted family member may create to explain or deny their behaviors. Together, these situations create an altered and damaged family dynamic.
Recommended Reading: How To Break Eating Addiction
Effects Of Parental Drug Abuse On Children
Alcohol and drug abuse negatively impacts everyone in the family, but too often children and adolescents are most affected by the addiction of a parent.
How Substance Abuse And Alcoholism Hurt The Ones You Love
Addiction hurts the entire family, from younger siblings to parents who cannot sleep at night. We compiled a list of the top things we observed with our clients and families.
1. Other Siblings Are Ignored
Brothers and sisters of addicts in families affected by drugs are often referred to as the invisible victims.
When one sibling is an addict, the extra focus often lands on the effects addiction has on the parents. The other children often feel forgotten as their parents shift their anxiety and focus on the child with the addiction.
They suffer in silence, often consumed by feelings of loneliness, anger, and fear. Sometimes the issues follow them to school too, as other students assume that siblings of an addicted student must have addiction issues too.
Its normal for siblings to feel anger and guilt toward their parents. The key is to ensure theyre receiving the support and help they need to process whats going on so that they dont have to suffer in silence.
2. Parents Forget Addiction Is Chronic
Addiction is a chronic disease. Even with special and successful treatment, the addiction never leaves. In families affected by drugs, parents tend to believe that each time their child is released from treatment, things will be different this time around.
The fact of the matter is that after being released from treatment, addicts need the most support to ensure they dont relapse. They need love, accountability, and support to ensure they dont start using again.
Also Check: How Much Nicotine Is Addictive
Other Common Effects Of Addiction On A Family
Because addiction affects a persons ability to function, it also affects their social skills and sociability in turn. The consequences of this will resonate throughout a persons social network, with immediate family getting hit the hardest. However, while negativity in communication is bad enough, it is far from the only answer to how drugs affect families and relationships.
The other commoneffects of drug abuse on the family include:
Contact us today if you believe someone you care about is suffering from drug abuse. In addition, if you are also suffering from addiction personally then please reach out. Our professionals are here to help you get the treatment that you need.
How Addiction Affects Family And Friends Emotionally
It is not a coincidence that many people who have issues with drug use end up losing close loved ones. Substance abuse can alienate you in a number of ways, and it may take a toll on the emotions of those around you. Some ways that addiction can hurt family and friends emotionally include:
- It can cause trust issues. Its difficult to have an addiction and be completely honest about it with those around you. In many cases, people end up stealing from loved ones so they can buy drugs or alcohol. Even in less extreme cases, dishonesty can create space between yourself and your loved ones and cause stress.
- It can lead to confrontations. When dishonesty occurs, tensions run high. It is likely that you will end up in heated conversations with people close to you if your addiction continues. Fights with friends or family members like your siblings, parents, or children can be a huge emotional burden.
- Your loved ones know you well. Lets face it: its difficult to see someone you love going through a hard time, even if it doesnt affect you directly. Even if you are somehow able to avoid trust issues and confrontations with loved ones, your addiction will likely still take a toll emotionally.
Your parents might feel like they did something wrong which led to your drug or alcohol use. If you have children, they will probably sense that something isnt right. This can cause trauma and feelings of neglect that stay with them for years to come.
Read Also: What Are The Signs Of Opiate Addiction
The Role Of Family Addiction Counseling In Restoring Balance And Harmony
The connections that exist between family and addiction are multifaceted, and in order for the addict to fully and completely recover from addiction, the whole family must be involved in the drug treatment process. Addiction is seen as a family disease and family-based therapy provides the resources and support that is needed for the entire family unit to address the underlying causes of addiction and restore balance and harmony.
Family addiction counseling and family therapy benefits the addict and their family and helps them find their common strengths and find ways to live without drug and alcohol addiction. Both the family and the addict will also understand the entire process of recovery, from medical detoxification and drug treatment to aftercare and continued support through the help of 12-Step based groups such as AA, NA, and Alanon. If there have been past links between family and alcoholism and drug abuse, those can be addressed and those underlying causes can be worked through so that the family can experience the same fresh start as the addict.
