The Impact Of Substance Use Disorders On Family And Children
Substance use and dependency can significantly impact the lives of the user and their family, including children witnessing a parent’s addiction. Although it may appear as though addiction is only damaging or potentially harmful if it is engaged in regularly and openly, there are several ways children of addicted parents are often impacted by their parents' use habits. Understanding these consequences can ensure your family's safety and help you find support if you live with a substance use disorder or challenge.
What are substance use disorders?
Substance use disorders are mental health conditions defined by the continued and compulsive use of a substance, despite potentially harmful consequences. Preoccupation with using a substance can significantly impact an individual's daily life. The immediate effects of substance use disorder may include but are not limited to the following:
Declining physical health
Negatively impacted mental health
Impulsive behavior
Job loss
Community loss
The potential for legal action or involvement
People currently experiencing dependency on drugs or alcohol may risk losing their homes, children, and support systems, which can cause a painful cycle that can lead to a lower quality of life.
Although the effects listed above are generally known to be potential effects of current, ongoing addiction, there may be less attention given to the effects of light, sporadic, or historic substance use and its potential impacts on children. Even in families where a substance use disorder has not been diagnosed or is not present, children may be impacted by a caregiver's usage.
Substance use vs. substance abuse
Substance use was once referred to as “substance abuse.” You’ll still see this term used in some areas for things like substance “abuse” treatment programs. You might see programs for parental “substance abuse problems” or counseling for parent’s “substance abuse issues.”
However, the implication that a person can “abuse” substances may minimize the side effects of drug use, especially when referring to highly addictive substances. For the purpose of this article and most modern mental health information, the term “substance use” is preferred over “substance abuse.”
Children of parents with substance use disorders
Individuals of all genders, ages, ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses, and walks of life can develop a substance use disorder. No one type of person lives with the daily challenges of this serious condition or has the potential to develop substance use disorder over another. However, children affected by or living with a family member who has substance use disorder can create greater degree of difficulty living a sober life themselves.
When an adult in the family struggles with substance use, other individuals, such as siblings or aging family members, may take on family roles in addiction to cope with the situation. Children who grow up with parents with a substance use disorder may have higher stress levels, greater dissatisfaction at home, and a lesser capacity to connect to and engage with others. How these symptoms manifest may be different for each child, occurring individually.
For instance, a child who experiences significant privilege may be more inclined to rely on alcohol to relax and forge connections among peers in social situations. Conversely, a child who lives in an underserved community or is exposed to frequent substance use might feel inclined to use it for survival or a chosen coping mechanism.
However, children can still be affected even when substance use seems to be carefully controlled or hidden away. Their physical and emotional safety and mental health can be impacted, and there may be a possibility of higher addiction occurrence rates as they grow up.
The Family Systems Theory approaches the whole family as a single emotional unit. Children of parents who use substances may experience disruptions in dynamics and the normal behavior of their caregivers. This may lead to adverse childhood experiences, increased risk of mental illness, and other emotional and psychological challenges. For example, a child who experienced or witnessed substance use, emotional abuse,* sexual abuse,* or any form of domestic violence* is at an increased risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder.
Many of the behaviors listed above, such as emotional manipulation and abuse, may be related to a family member who is using substances.
*If you or someone you love is experiencing abuse of any kind, contact the Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Free support is available 24/7.
Safety implications
Children of someone with a substance use disorder may experience a range of events in which they may be at greater physical or emotional risk. Below are a few examples of these risks.
Higher than average exposure to strangers or acquaintances
Children exposed to substances may be in the presence of other using adults besides their parents or caregivers. People who specialize in procuring and distributing drugs, adult friends, and others with substance use disorder may be around a child more often than in households without substance use present, which can put a child at risk of being harmed.
Higher potential for overdose
Children whose parents keep illicit substances in the house may be at greater risk of overdose. Children may open drawers, rooms, and cabinets containing dangerous materials or otherwise illicit substances in this specific risk area. Having alcohol or drugs in the home may increase the possibility of a child getting a hold of these substances and subsequently ingesting them, accidentally or intentionally. In either case, doing so can cause significant impairment or risk to a child's physical and emotional health.
Higher risk of inadequate care and support
If the parents or guardians in a child's home are impaired or otherwise distracted by substance use disorder, children may not be being watched carefully enough — and can fall into harm's way. For example, a passed-out parent might not hear a fire alarm after a child misuses a stove or might incorrectly identify their child as a threat and react accordingly. This reaction can cause lifelong adverse effects on a child's physical and mental health. In addition, it may not provide them with the support they need to thrive physically or emotionally.
Mental health implications
Children with a parent or caregiver with a substance use disorder may also be at a greater risk of developing psychological challenges. Below are a few causes of this risk.
Confusion about the cause of substance use
Children may be mentally inclined to accept the blame for their parent's behavior associated with substance use disorder. For example, if a child's parent is absent for long stretches as they combat their condition, children may feel that they did something to upset or offend them, which could have led to their departure. Conversely, children may feel as though they are too difficult to handle, which could, in their mind, be why their parent(s) continue to use substances.
Living on edge
Children of parents with a substance use disorder may feel as if they live in a perpetual state of alarm, potentially unsure of how a parent may behave on a given day. This state can lead to a pattern of inconsistency, contributing to increased nervousness or comorbid anxiety disorders.
Impaired brain development
When a child cannot progress emotionally or physically according to standard metrics because of parent addiction, their neurological development can be impaired. When neurological development is impaired, emotional development may follow suit. This impairment can appear individually, potentially in the form of personality disorders, mood disorders, and social difficulties.
Risk of disorder reoccurrence
Perhaps one of the most dangerous implications involved in growing up with and around frequent substance use is the potential likelihood of children developing a substance use disorder themselves.
Although a family history of substance use disorders is not the only factor in developing one, it can increase a child's risk of developing a substance use disorder as a teen or adult. This impact could be due to observation and exposure. If children see their caregivers turning to substance use to cope with life's difficulties, they may be inclined to do the same.
Past substance use: Present-day effects and mental illness
Parents or caregivers who once experienced substance dependency but no longer do may believe their children might not experience adverse effects after the use has passed. Parents in recovery may see recovery as proof that their children are no longer in danger due to acute substance use in the home. However, this may not be the case.
After recovery, family roles and behaviors might have changed, which can provoke children to act out, potentially in an attempt to re-enact or reinforce the roles and behaviors they've grown up with. This behavior is often not intentional and aligns more with a trauma response, possibly due to a lack of attachment or disruption within the childhood experience.
With this understanding, recovery is often the most favorable outcome for those living with substance use disorders and their families — allowing many to actively rebuild the unhealthy patterns and dynamics that occurred during acute use. However, the family may still experience strain through the mountains and valleys of recovery as they work to process the potential trauma and unhealthy behaviors that could have occurred because of the use.
Overcoming a substance use disorder has a wide-reaching and significant impact on children years after recovery. While the road can be complex in achieving this goal for many, the positive effects and healing it can bring to a group may outweigh the complications.
Support options for parents of children and adult children
If you are living with a substance use disorder or have previously used substances and have noticed an impact on the health of your family unit, you may benefit from talking to a therapist. You're not alone in your experiences, and compassionate support is available. Consider looking for options with local group therapy, online support groups, online therapists, rehab programs, and school counselors.
It can be difficult to seek support with the dynamic that substance use can bring, and it may not seem safe or comfortable to do so in a traditional in-person setting. Online therapy can address this concern for many, allowing them to receive discreet support from the comfort of their home. Through an online therapy platform like BetterHelp, you can select between phone, video, or chat sessions with your therapist and use a nickname if you don't want to use your real name for sessions.
Online therapy has been proven an effective resource for many in addressing the symptoms of alcohol use disorder. A recent literature review found that this form of therapeutic intervention showed symptom attrition in those frequently using cannabis and alcohol and those having difficulty controlling gambling behaviors. The change was gradual over three months, with clients self-reporting significant improvement.
Takeaway
The behaviors of parents or caregivers with substance use disorders can significantly impact children. Children can be impacted into their adult years. They may be more likely to engage in substance use disorder or experience mood and personality disorders and other mental health conditions.
Therapy can be a resource for parents with substance use disorders and their children, encouraging a more healthful lifestyle for families. If you're interested in getting started, consider contacting a provider online or in your area for guidance.
What are the effects on the children of addicts?
Substance abuse (now called substance use disorder (SUD)) can have wide-reaching effects beyond the individual. Within families, substance use can lead to increased conflict and instability. For children, this may lead to:
- A home life that does not feel physically or emotionally safe
- Insecure attachment styles
- Developmental delays
- Abuse or neglect
- Lack of adequate nutrition resulting from financial instability
- Poor peer social relationships
- Modeling behaviors and increased risk of substance use
- Isolation
- Internalization challenges like depression, anxiety, guilt, and shame
- Externalization challenges such as conduct problems, anger outburst, opposition, impulsivity, and aggression
- Increased risk of committing violent crimes and being arrested before reaching adulthood
- Self-parenting, or “parentification”
- Development of poor communication skills
- Unexcused absences at school and an increased risk of school dropout
- Difficulty paying attention and concentrating
Are children of addicts more likely to become addicts?
Yes, the children of addicted parents are at an eight times greater risk of using substances than children who grow up in drug-free homes. Genetics are only partially responsible for this discrepancy, as adult children of alcoholic parents pick up on their behaviors, values, communication skills, and habits. For example, children may model avoidance and isolating behaviors, which can increase the risk of drug abuse problems and other mental illnesses, like depression and anxiety.
How do children of addicts act?
When misused, alcohol and other substances can have lasting impacts on individuals and their families. The children of an addicted person may display abnormal behavioral signs, such as:
- Guilt and/or shame
- Anxiety
- Impulsivity
- Approval seeking behaviors
- Difficulty acknowledging mistakes and learning from them
- Signs of low self-esteem
- Trust issues
- Isolation
- Aggression
- Rule-breaking
- Lying
- Defiance
- Difficulty getting along with other children
- Depression
- Alcohol abuse or the use of other drugs
Although young people often experience lasting impacts from their parents' substance use, getting emotional support can help families to heal. Resources such as support groups, family therapy, and individual therapy are often recommended in instances of substance use disorder.
If you want some help navigating resources, consider calling, the 24/7 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) treatment referral service at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Can children inherit addictions?
According to family studies, which evaluated identical twins, fraternal twins, siblings, and adoptees, it appears that roughly half of someone’s risk of addiction can be attributed to their genetics.
However, someone will not experience addiction simply because of their genetic predisposition. There are many interacting factors that influence the development of substance use disorders, including genetics, personality traits, lifestyle factors (such as diet, stress, and activity level), and environmental factors (such as ease of substance, peer groups, and exposure to trauma).
How do children of addicts feel?
Children of people experiencing substance use disorders (SUD) can have a wide range of emotional responses. Oftentimes, children manage the stress and instability of SUDs with externalizing or internalizing behaviors, which are described below:
- Externalization: These are problematic behaviors that are directed away from oneself, outward towards the external environment. Children may display inattention, impulsivity, lying, cheating, bullying, aggression, and defiance.
- Internalization: Internalizing behaviors are negative, inward-focused behaviors, such as social withdrawal, sadness, guilt, shame, worry, and fear. Children may become increasingly avoidant or isolated, and display signs of anxiety and/or depression.
These types of behaviors are often indicators that it’s time to seek help from a licensed therapist. They can help their clients uncover the source of their behaviors and learn to manage their emotions more effectively.
How can drugs affect a child's social development?
When children live in households impacted by substance use disorder, they may experience impaired attachment styles, trauma, neglect, family conflict, financial stress, developmental delays, and other difficulties. As children grow up and socialize with peers, insecure attachment styles and externalizing/internalizing behaviors can make it difficult to form healthy relationships.
What happens when a child is born addicted?
Neonatal abstinence syndrome occurs when unborn babies are exposed to substances before birth. The babies of pregnant people who drink alcohol, smoke, or use other substances have an increased risk of neonatal abstinence syndrome. After birth, babies will go through withdrawal, which commonly happens when the birthing parent has opioid use disorder (OUD). Most of the time, symptoms are managed with noise reduction and increased skin-to-skin time. In cases of severe withdrawal, infants may be treated with intravenous fluids, medications, surgical therapy, or long-term therapy.
What are the behaviors of addicts?
Common symptoms of substance use disorder include:
- Feeling the need to use a substance on a regular basis
- Experiencing overwhelming urges to use a substance
- Developing a tolerance (requiring more of the drug to achieve the same effect it once had)
- Increasing the amount and/or frequency of substance use
- Maintaining an available supply of the substance
- Sacrificing on other expenses (even essential ones) to continue using a substance
- Reduced work performance, productivity, and fulfillment of obligations
- Using the substance, even when you realize that it’s problematic
- Doing things you’re not morally okay with, such as stealing or lying, to obtain the substance
- Engaging in risky behaviors
- The substance (obtaining, using, and recovering) may begin to take up a significant amount of your time
- Unsuccessful attempts to stop using the substance
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms if you stop or reduce your use of the substance
If you suspect a loved one may have a substance use disorder, they may appear to have new physical health problems (such as weight loss or red eyes), miss work or school, or seem as though they are neglecting their grooming and personal hygiene.
How does addiction affect the brain?
Addiction works by interrupting natural reward pathways in the brain. Normally, the reward pathway uses dopamine and other chemicals to help motivate us to do activities necessary for survival–such as eating, cooperating with others, and procreating. Essentially, when you do something “good,” your body releases dopamine, which makes you feel good, so you’ll want to do that activity again.
Substances, such as heroin and nicotine, use this same reward pathway, but they trigger a much larger release of dopamine (sometimes 10 times greater than natural rewards). The brain associates this dopamine surge with a positive experience, which encourages people to repeatedly use addictive substances.
However, eventually, substance use can reduce the brain's sensitivity to dopamine, resulting in increased tolerance (meaning you need to take more of the substance to achieve the same effect).
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