Part 1: Who is Affected by Substance Abuse?
Addiction has never had a positive impact on anyone. This includes the people in the addict’s life—partners, children, siblings, parents, etc. Just when you need your loved ones the most, an unhealthy substance abuse lifestyle may shatter the trust between you. You become a different person, changing in so many ways. Most dramatically, your priorities change, and that is how the division between you and your loved ones happens.
Substance abuse can jeopardize your health and your finances. But it also has a massive cost in terms of interpersonal relationships. The specifics can vary from case to case, but a steep price is always exacted.
A Few Substance Abuse Numbers
Numbers are not always easy to come by, but at least 20 million Americans struggle with at least one addiction.
At most, 1 in 10 of them are receiving treatment.
One in 5 people with depression and/or anxiety also has a substance use disorder.
Things start early: over 90 percent of addicts started before they were 18, and those between 18 and 25 are the most at risk.
Each year, substance abuse sucks more than $600 billion from the U.S. economy.
But again, no list of statistics can do justice to the emotional damage done to the people closest to the addict.
How Substance Abuse Affects Children
There are countless variables to consider. Is it a one- or two-parent household? Are both parents addicted? Are there siblings present? What are the ages of the children? One thing is certain: the incidence is high. At least 1 in 8 children live with a parent struggling with substance abuse.
As a result, they:
Have less support and stability
May be forced into playing a parental role
Are a higher risk for abuse or violence
Struggle with self-esteem issues
Have a more challenging time in school
Are more likely to try drugs or alcohol
How Substance Abuse Affects Parents
Trying to manage when your child has a substance abuse disorder is a challenge of the highest order. Parents in this scenario may:
Suffer with feelings of guilt and shame
Live in a perpetual state of worry and fear about their child getting hurt, arrested, or worse
Worry about their other children also becoming addicted
Feel powerless
Thinks it helps to enable the child
Struggle with grief over losing the life they thought they’d have with their child
Create tension between parents as to how to proceed and/or who is to blame
How Substance Abuse Affects Siblings
Meanwhile, if there are siblings present, theirs is a strange fate. Their addicted brother or sister seems to suck up all of the parent’s energy and focus. They may suffer many of the issues listed above under “How Substance Abuse Affects Children.”
How Substance Abuse Affects Romantic Partners
The first casualty is trust. This is a crucial component of any healthy relationship. Addiction shatters trust between you, and if steps are not swiftly taken, things escalate from there, e.g.:
Loss of intimacy
Distance and detachment
Infidelity
Domestic violence
Denial and codependency
Financial problems
Lack of communication
If the couple has kids, well, scroll back up and re-read the sections related to children and siblings. The question is: who is affected by substance abuse? The answer is everyone.
Help and Treatments Are Available
Despite the dismal analysis, many of those who struggle with substance abuse can recover and rebuild their lives. The key is to connect with help as soon as possible. A great starting point is a free and confidential consultation in which we can discuss the reality of what’s happening and what can be done. Again, all is not lost. Let’s connect, let’s talk, and let’s get you and your family on a new path.
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