The Effects Of Parental Substance Abuse On Children Essay

Another considerable factor of this problem is the influence these substances have on children. Alcoholism in the home is an extremely hard issue to cope with as a child. Domestic violence, which is often worsened by alcohol abuse, causes a lot of mental issues that affect children permanently. Many kids do not have a stable home and are forced to see their parents and loved ones struggle with drinking (Hopkins 7). Suffering through the effects of drugs and alcohol also make education a challenge. Children often times stay home from school or are inattentive during class due to lack of sleep from late-night parties or rowdiness at home.This makes it almost impossible to succeed later in life and lets the problem continue onto the next generation.

Annotated Bibliography Thesis: In the American society today, many families today and individuals are affected by the constant abuse of drugs and alcohol. Both alcohol and drug abuse victimize children and teens of all ages, ruin lives and damage families. Crimando, William, and T. F. Riggar.

Nothing makes a child grow up faster than having a parent who is addicted to drugs. A child of an addicted parent has no choice but to act as an adult. These children are often left alone and when they aren’t alone, their addicted parent is usually passed out in a drug induced stupor; leaving the child to fend for themselves and/or their siblings. Does having a drug addicted parent have an effect on a child’s emotional development? If so, does this form of abuse that is recognized in the category of neglect have a long lasting effect on the child into adulthood?

At times, the community is unsafe and damaging to the child’s development with current research, they are finding that environmental factors with a high crime rate, poverty, acts of violence and high drug distribution are top contributors that can lead to abuse. This can result in depression, substance abuse and social isolation from the parent and are seen more likely to experience abuse or maltreatment. Although abuse in itself is contributing factor, the likely hood increases with age. During the interview Kaleb discussed how substance abuse in itself can be a leading factor on its own. From his statistics, from the Child Welfare League of America about 40 to 80 percent of families affected by substance abuse. Which as a result of issues of substance abuse the child is more at risk of sexual abuse from the caregivers. Substance abuse often creates a domino effect for the child later in life, such as young pregnancy, problems in school, incarcerated in as a juvenile and the inability to cope with the trauma they experienced. He also stated that substance abusers are the most difficult to treat since many adults do not want to seek proper treatment and more likely to have their child permanently removed to long care foster

Substance abuse is a prominent psychiatric disorder that continues to be one of the main complex issues impacting public health today (Hser, Lanza, Li, Kahn, Evans, & Schulte, 2013). Children affected by maternal substance misuse of are at high risk for a wide variety of negative outcomes including: emotional, developmental, social, cognitive, and behavioral issues as well as challenges in academic functioning (Stamler & Yiu, 2012). The main reason these children are at risk is because from conception to throughout their childhood, their environment has been compromised by an accumulation of social determinants of health. These may include poverty, low maternal education, instability of income, poor

In 2009, more than eight million children in the United States resided in households where their primary caregiver was dependent on substance use (HHS, 2009). Substance Use disorder (SA) is defined as exhibiting one or more of the four criteria while consuming alcohol or illicit drugs: failure to fulfill major role obligations at work, school, or home, situations in which it is physically hazardous, situations persistent substance-related legal problems, social or interpersonal problems caused by or exacerbated by the effects of the substance (American Psychiatric Association, 2005). One out of four children affected by SA will develop psychological, physical, and social health complications, and a tenth

Along with illegal behavior often a substance abuser will find themselves as homeless, spending their paychecks on their habits of using substances (Tracy, 2005). Children of abusers are affected by both possessing negative role models that set the example that drug use is not wrong and sometimes the children are placed into the care of the community because of neglect and abuse by the substance user (National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Adolescent and School Health [CDC], 2009). Other medical, social, and economic issues also are being experienced from substance abuse and use.

Parental substance abuse impacts a child’s psychological development. According to Livestrong.com “When a child is raised in an environment with substance abuse his or her risk for developing a mental health disorder increases.” (Butler). A serious element of psychological disorders that develop from a parent who abuses drug is severe anxiety disorders or depression. These afflictions in itself are enough to deter even the strongest adult from living a normal life. Depression and anxiety cause a child to withdraw from their friends or siblings, making them feel alone and suffer from suicidal thoughts. Anxiety disorders stemming from parental substance abuse also lead to learning disabilities, causing children to work below their potential. This creates a potentially negative environment for a child, causing them to behave inappropriately which leads to disciplinary actions by the school. One other psychological disorder that stems from parental substance abuse is eating disorders. This comes from the low self-esteem a child suffers and in an attempt to be perfect; a child is willing to bring physical harm to themselves or their bodies. I have seen this to be the greatest side effect of my ex-husband’s drug abuse upon our children. My two boys suffer from depression and anxiety at varying levels. My oldest son has been diagnosed with ulcers from constantly worrying about his father’s sobriety.

I chose to summarize effects of substance abuse on children and their parents written by Crofton-Tower (2017). The name of the chapter is called the impact of violence and addiction on children. The author describes several effects that substance/addiction has on children and their parents. Crofton-Towers mentions how the usage of drugs and alcohol can weaken how parents take advise and parent their children (Crofton-Towers, 2017). She also indicates it can lead to parents sexually, physically plus mentally abusing their children.

In this paper, I look at forms of substance abuse and the effects on children. I will be using the following headings to break down the different issues associated with this social problem: social causes, phenomenon, and consequences. I hope to educate those that may be ignorant to the situation, and help to spark a flame that can be used to not be a bystander, but a solution to the problem at hand.

Drugs and alcohol have been used for medical and recreational purposes throughout history. With advancement of technology it has become easier and easier to access these substances. It is not only illegal drugs but prescription drugs that are being misused and wreaking havoc across the world. Even with billions of dollars being paid out to stop the war on drugs, the problem persists. People from all walks of life have been affected by drugs or are becoming drug addicts themselves. One particular group afflicted by the misuse of these substances is the children of drug addicted parents. According to Cattapan and Grimwade, “Drug use seen in one generation affects the lives of the next”. Children with one or both parents on drugs face huge

It is staggering that child abuse happens more frequently when alcohol abuse is present. That can create an even more toxic environment for the child, which could lead to many problems for him or her in the immediate future. The Society for the Study of Addiction also states that “children who experience child abuse and neglect repetitively have been shown to experience poorer behavioral, educational and mental health outcomes”. That very hazardous environment is what children of alcoholic parents are exposed to on a daily basis, breaking them down physically, socially, and emotionally. Alcohol abuse with adults can have an even deeper effect on one 's family and children that might not be apparent at first. Debra Wood states that alcoholism with one adult can increase the chance of the rest of his or her’s family some day becoming an alcoholic. Wood also states that genetics, social pressure, and problem behaviors learned from family or friends can lead to somebody going down the path of alcohol abuse.

Children can be subjected to the negative effects of parental substance use in a variety of different ways. For example, substance use during pregancy can cause detrimental outcomes for newborn infants by placing them at a higher risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), being born with birth defects, developing behavioral and developmental delays, being born premature, etc. Children with addicted parents, are placed at a higher risk of: lacking appropriate supervision; lacking basic needs such as: food, clothing, housing, and medical care; exposure to violence; developing substance abuse issues themselves.

Not surprisingly, there have been numerous previous studies on this topic. Drug abuse has been an apparent issue in society for an incredibly long time, but now the effects on children resulting from the unions of drug addicts are coming to the forefront. When the parents are too inebriated to take care of themselves, there is a probable cause to assume that their children’s quality of life also suffers. “Research points to the potential deficits that these children often confront in growing up well and safe” (Conners et al. 2003; Barnard 2007). One might ask why the children from these families are not just put in the foster system to be eligible to be adopted by competent parental figures? It is not that simple. Often the biological

The father is the man of the house ; he brings order , and discipline. His child looks up to him as a role model. However, a father’s drug addiction in the family can bring the likelihood of a child becoming an addict themselves. They lose supervision in their child and somewhat appears to have negligence. According to studies fathers that abuse drugs is very harmful for their kids. It was observed that children with drug - addicted fathers was found to have high levels of anxiety, worry and depression. Overall , Addicted fathers bring the negative effect on children and from personal experience can cause the child to might have to take care of their fathers. Children also witness more violence at home and are exposed to drugs before they even become teenagers. This triggers the influence of a child’s likelihood of using drugs. Therefore the drug culture continues and stays alive in this generation.