Addiction is a condition that affects not only the users but those around them as well. Taking drugs and alcohol can cause serious health problems, which may lead to death. On the other hand, relatives of the addict suffer emotional and physical abuse, lack of funds, and family breakups.
The Effects of Addiction To Family Members
Increased Stress
Most addicts leave the parental and other responsibilities to their partners. The overwhelmed spouse may get into depression or
stress-related illness such as high blood pressure. Seeing your partner drowning in addiction can also cause a lot of trauma to the family.
Physical Abuse
Addiction makes a person unreasonable, and a small argument can lead to fights. This can cause physical harm to addicts and other people. Children raised by addicts can also turn violent towards their mates just as their parents do.
Neglecting Family Responsibilities
Addicts spend most of their time thinking about drugs or alcohol. They barely have time for their families. If an addict loses a job, they will not bother to pay bills or buy the basics.
Fear
It is hard to predict the behavior of an addict. You aren’t sure if they will come home prepared to harm or fight you. As a way of avoiding trouble, family members tend to appease and do as the addict dictates.
Increased Addiction Rates in the Family
An addict may also influence the partner into addiction. Studies show that children brought up by addicted parents end up imitating them. The addiction patterns can repeat in families, leading to generations of addicted people. The best way is to seek treatment at
https://www.theprocessrecoverycenter.com/ and cut the cycle of addiction.
Impacts on Children
Parents who abuse drugs subject their children to many problems. Most children are left alone to care for themselves, which affects their growth and development. Others drop out of school due to a lack of school fees. Alcohol abuse can also lead to premature births or low-weight babies.
Lack of Finances
Drugs and alcohol are expensive. This means an addict can use all their savings on drugs or even take loans to quench their addiction. After exhausting every coin, others turn to steal from their family members to buy alcohol. Consequently, financial problems will subject the family to a lack of basic needs. If an addicted person is caught peddling drugs, the family will have to hire a lawyer, which adds to a financial burden.
Medical Problems
Addiction is associated with various health issues. Excessive consumption of alcohol can cause cancer. It is also easy for intoxicated persons to contract
sexually transmitted diseases and infect their partners. If, by any chance, your family member gets any addiction-related illness, the burden of taking care of their treatment and personal care goes to the family.
Divorce/Separation
Dealing with an addict can be challenging. Most spouses to alcoholics end up leaving them. This is because an addict can cause physical or mental harm. Others do not contribute anything to the marriage apart from emotional abuse.
Loss of Trust
Addicts do not keep promises, which leads to mistrust among family members. However, some addicts try to honor their duties, but they end up failing due to the effects of addiction. This may lead to arguments between couples. As a parent, if you constantly lie or hurt your children, you will have a hard time relating with them.
Having a relative who’s in addiction causes a lot of pain for relatives. The person can endanger the lives of other members and subject them to financial burdens and stress. However, the situation can be saved if you seek addiction treatment and therapy. However, after some time, the patient will be free from drugs.
As you can see, the impacts of addiction on a family is very traumatic. If you have a family member who is suffering from addiction consider attending Tucson al anon meetings. These meetings will help you learn how to deal with the fact that you have a family member who is an addict.