Facts
Do a lot of kids have a parent or family member who has problems with substance abuse?
1 in 4 kids live in a family where someone has an alcohol problem. 1 in 8 children (8.7 million) aged 17 or younger lived in households with at least one parent who had a past year substance use disorder (SUD).
How do kids feel about having a parent with substance abuse challenges?
Do parents with addictions love drugs more than their kids?
What kinds of treatment is there for adults who have substance abuse challenges?
Treatment for Recovering Addicts:
1. treatment is sometimes referred to as rehab or rehabilitation centers
2. treatment centers are a safe place
3. some treatment facilities let patients visit their loved ones, and some do not
4. treatment can be impatient while others are outpatient
How might kids act if they believe their parents are abusing substances?
Is it ever the kid's fault if a parent relapses as a result of their addiction?
No, it's never the kids fault.
What might kids worry about when their parent is addicted to drugs or alcohol?
Living with a parent who has a substance use problem is hard. It can affect how you feel and act. It can affect your family life too. What it's like is different for each person.
What can happen to adults who have an addiction?
Is it a kid's responsibility to help their parent stop their addiction?
How might kids act when their parent relapse as a result of their addiction?
Some kids my experience:
1. social isolation
2. withdrawal
3. nightmares
4. feelings unsafe
5. unresolved feelings of anger and sadness
6. easily frustrated
7. inability to express their feelings and emotions
Despite all the challenges with having a parent with substance abuse problems, can kids also have good memories with parents who have an addiction?
How might parents feel when they realize that their kids know that they have an addiction?
Why do people develop a substance abuse problem?
People choose to use drugs and alcohol for a lot of different reasons, and only those people understand them. Addiction never goes away, but it can get better with treatment and help.
What are some reasons kids might not tell others that their parents have an addiction?
Some people learn not to speak up or show emotion. They worry they may get their parent in trouble. Habits like these may help you survive tough times at home. But they may not work in other parts of your life. Being able to speak up, say how you feel, and show emotion helps you build good relationships in the future.
What are some signs or symptoms of addiction or substance abuse? How might an addicted parent behave? Why might some of those behaviors be confusing?
Symptoms or behaviors may include:
1. some addicts have mood swings, get angry easily, and yell at the people they care about
2. some addicts stop taking care of themselves or the people they love
3. some addicts stop doing the things they used to enjoy, like going to family functions and school events
4. some addicts spend a lot of time alone or away from home
Who is to blame for a parent's addiction? Is it ever a kid's fault?
How do parents who have a substance abuse challenge feel about their kids?
Why don't people who have an addiction just stop using drugs?
Drugs and alcohol can control an addicted person's mind and cause them to do things they would not usually do.
What would it be like to be apart from someone you love while they are in treatment? What would it be like to be unable to visit?
What should a kid do if they suspect their parent is abusing a substance again?
What is addiction? How does it affect the brain?
An addiction is an urge to do something that is hard to control or stop. Because of the way drugs work on the brain, they affect the ability to make healthy choices and decisions. Even drinking makes people more likely to get involved in dangerous situations, like driving under the influence.
How might a parent's relapse affect their loved ones?
A parent's relapse can affect the following:
1. home placement
2. parent being absent from kid's life as they attend treatment
3. sibling relationship
4. school/ social relationships (family and friends, etc.)
How might addiction, treatment, and recovery change someone's life? How might someone's life stay the same?
How come some parents still continue to abuse substances even after they have gotten lots of help for their addiction?
What are some of the hardest things for kids to talk about after a parent relapses as a result of their addiction?
Some kids may find it difficult to:
1. discuss the incident that led to their parent's relapse
2. discuss their feelings (these feelings may include anger, fear and betrayal)
3. to share their hopes and fears for their parent and for themselves