While there can be many factors affecting a kid’s mental health, trauma caused by a parent’s unpredictable behavior can impact a child in many ways.
Unfortunately, a child suffering from the behaviors of an addictive parent might never tell a soul what’s going on in his life.
Here’s a peep into the world and troubles of children facing neglect due to their parent’s addiction.
- Lack of Supervision
Parents with addictive behaviors often forget their duty towards their kids. They become so preoccupied with their addiction that it leads to their children growing up without adequate care or supervision.
In some cases, children take on adult roles to provide a safe environment for their younger siblings or to take care of their parents. This leads to a disruption in their normal development and childhood experiences.
- Unsure of the Future
Children who grow up in an unstable and chaotic environment become inactive in school. The chaos at home can hinder a child’s ability to focus on schoolwork which leads to academic struggles.
Children know that living with an absent parent means a lack of encouragement even if they do perform well in academics. So, after a while, they even stop trying.
- Social Isolation
Children whose parents suffer from addiction often withdraw themselves from friends or social groups fearing that they might be laughed at. Due to the possibility of embarrassment, they don’t share and avoid interaction with their classmates.
Households with such an environment have a culture to keep things within the four walls. Children may be told not to reveal the issues related to substance abuse, causing them to keep their struggles to themselves.
They can also develop trust issues as a result of broken trust by their own family members. This can hinder them from building deeper relationships with anyone.
- Substance Abuse
Growing up in an environment where substance abuse is common can increase the chances of children taking in their footsteps. More often the problem surfaces in wealthy families, where children have easy access to money.
Children with addictive parents can feel lonely and depressed. They might get involved in other activities like self-harm to cope with the stress or worse, they can try taking their life.
To give children the normal healthy childhood they deserve, it becomes crucial for parents to understand the need of putting an end to addiction. If the parent is determined to change their ways for the sake of their child, they should join a good rehab with luxury amenities and trained medical staff to get sober quickly.
- Health Issues
Children with addictive parents can develop physical issues even before they are born. For example, if a pregnant woman is doing drugs it can result in physical defects, malformation of some organs or mental disorders.
A healthy-born child can also develop a physical disability or mental issues while living with addictive parents such as anxiety-based illnesses. They can even get seriously hurt while their parents are under the influence.
Additionally, addictive parents can also lash their anger out at their children in a verbal and physical manner while being high and upset about something.
- Fear of Abandonment
Addictive parents neglect their children which leads the kids to believe they are not wanted or that they are not loved. Fear of abandonment is an understandable emotional response in children of addictive parents.
Children may fear that their parent’s unpredictable actions will lead to rejection. To reduce their fear of abandonment, they should be given a stable and caregiving environment.
Conclusion
Living with an addictive parent can snatch childhood from innocent kids and give them trauma for life.
It is important for each one of us to be educated about the consequences of addiction and how it can impact kids to help those in need.
Also, both children and parents should seek professional help to address the emotional challenges and work toward healing and recovery.
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