The Effects of Drug Abuse on the Family
Families and Substance Abuse: The Harsh Realities Associated with Drugs and Alcohol | Call 24/7 to Get Help and Healing for the Negative Effects of Drug Abuse on Families
The relationship between families and substance abuse has always been tumultuous. There are no winners, only broken individuals who sometimes end up with permanently damaged connections with other people. If you or someone you love is dealing with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, it’s time to get help before things get any worse. It’s never too late to try to change the negative effects of drug addiction on family members and put the pieces back together again with a customized recovery plan.
When it comes to substance abuse, effects on family members can be mental as well as physical. Trust is one of the easiest things to lose and one of the most difficult things to earn. When drugs are an important part of a person’s life, trust is one of the first things to go, as families can no longer depend on the user to be honest, take care of responsibilities, or ensure that everyone in the home is safe and taken care of. After being let down over and over again, family members may step away from the relationship in order to protect themselves.
Sometimes the actions of an addict create tension in their relationships. They display risky behavior, putting themselves into situations that aren’t safe. While this may be a private struggle for a time, eventually, these things begin to overflow onto the family. Parents who are addicts can’t protect their children from seeing the harsh realities of a life surrounded by drugs. The home life is no longer a place where children can thrive. A family begins to fall apart, one piece at a time, until there is nothing left holding them together.
Monetary problems can also begin to create cracks in the familial relationship. It’s no secret that drugs cost money. But things quickly spiral out of control when an addict can no longer hold down a job. From there, theft from family members and friends isn’t a far stretch. Loved ones may find themselves in the midst of a financial hardship trying to help an addict out of difficult situations. When the time comes to seek out treatment from an accredited facility, even more money is needed. It’s important to seek out cost-effective centers that will work with families to find an affordable solution.
It doesn’t matter if the user is the parent, the child, or even a sibling; things gradually go from bad to worse. Families and substance abuse are a dangerous combination that, without the right assistance, can be detrimental to everyone involved. When it comes to substance abuse, effects on family members can last a lifetime, leaving behind wounds that will never heal. In some cases, the cycle continues as children of addicts choose a similar life for themselves.
Most users assume that their problems with substance abuse don’t affect others. They become more and more self-centered, unable to see the issues they are creating for the people who love them the most. If you’ve been struggling with the effects of drug abuse on families, WhiteSands Treatment Center can help. Services like family therapy can give everyone involved a platform to speak and be heard. Professional mediators work to resolve issues and try to create a new foundation for trust, care, and understanding.
Are you ready to get help for the effects of drug addiction on family and friends? Call today to set up a free clinical assessment. You can start by learning what it will take to detox from the substance and how you can make positive changes in your life, giving you a chance to repair some of the damage that has been done to your family. With the right rehabilitation experience, you can find out how to transform some of the effects of drug abuse on families and begin to put your life back together.