Children and Spouses of the Drug Addict
Detrimental effects from parental addiction can have impact on the social and psychological development of children that can last long into adulthood.
Wives or husbands of addicts often find that their "family secret" keeps them from healthy interactions in the community, even among close friends.
The attention is usually on the addict, their lives and the effects of the addiction on them, but there are others who are suffering through these hardships right alongside the users.
Those are the children and spouses of the drinkers or users.
Too often silent, these are the ignored and forgotten victims of alcoholism and other drug addiction.
Unable to fend for themselves, children of drug addicted parents are trapped in an environment that is unpredictably dangerous and sometimes terrifying.
The conflict and despair that goes on around them can be completely un-stabalizing and have an impact that might last for many years after leaving the addicted household.
Adding to the harm, alcoholics and drug addicts usually work overtime finding reasons for their binges, justifications for their destructive behaviors.
They point the finger of guilt at anyone in the vicinity.
This "guilt" can be accepted by those around and often is, causing further, long range damaging effects.
For the sakes of the children and others in the household, treatment is needed.
The whole family will experience a tremendous relief when the user enters a rehabilitation program and that relief will continue as the group heals.
The main thing to keep in mind is that down inside the addict, the original person is still there, still somewhere underneath the drugs or drink and can be salvaged.
Recovery for the addict and the family group alike is possible, but it can be a struggle for everyone involved.
Sometimes it is as hard on the family as on the user himself.
These problems seldom correct themselves.
The addict cannot "cure" himself.
If there is denial of the problem, there are professionals called interventionists who can reach the user and help him to look at his life and see what is really happening; help him or her to finally confront the changes that alcohol or meth or crack or whatever drug have caused.
It is important to think of the addicted individual as the person we know they truly are; in other words, who they were before the addiction took hold of their life.
But the sooner it happens the easier it will be and the more chance there is for a full recovery.
Wives or husbands of addicts often find that their "family secret" keeps them from healthy interactions in the community, even among close friends.
The attention is usually on the addict, their lives and the effects of the addiction on them, but there are others who are suffering through these hardships right alongside the users.
Those are the children and spouses of the drinkers or users.
Too often silent, these are the ignored and forgotten victims of alcoholism and other drug addiction.
Unable to fend for themselves, children of drug addicted parents are trapped in an environment that is unpredictably dangerous and sometimes terrifying.
The conflict and despair that goes on around them can be completely un-stabalizing and have an impact that might last for many years after leaving the addicted household.
Adding to the harm, alcoholics and drug addicts usually work overtime finding reasons for their binges, justifications for their destructive behaviors.
They point the finger of guilt at anyone in the vicinity.
This "guilt" can be accepted by those around and often is, causing further, long range damaging effects.
For the sakes of the children and others in the household, treatment is needed.
The whole family will experience a tremendous relief when the user enters a rehabilitation program and that relief will continue as the group heals.
The main thing to keep in mind is that down inside the addict, the original person is still there, still somewhere underneath the drugs or drink and can be salvaged.
Recovery for the addict and the family group alike is possible, but it can be a struggle for everyone involved.
Sometimes it is as hard on the family as on the user himself.
These problems seldom correct themselves.
The addict cannot "cure" himself.
If there is denial of the problem, there are professionals called interventionists who can reach the user and help him to look at his life and see what is really happening; help him or her to finally confront the changes that alcohol or meth or crack or whatever drug have caused.
It is important to think of the addicted individual as the person we know they truly are; in other words, who they were before the addiction took hold of their life.
But the sooner it happens the easier it will be and the more chance there is for a full recovery.
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