Being an addict is not just a disease that affects the person in question. The impact of being an addict falls on the entire family, and those who suffer the most are an addict's children. The impact an addict has on their children begins from the moment they are conceived till the day they become an adult. There are developmental issues, physical problems, mental health issues, and emotional abandonment issues in children who have addicts for parents.
Pregnancy
The impact of addicts on their children begins when a child is conceived. Mothers who use drugs, especially hard drugs such as cocaine or heroin, are at a higher risk of giving birth to children who have behavioral and developmental disabilities. These children have trouble focusing in the classroom and socializing from a young age.
Behavior
When a child's parent or parents are drug or alcohol addicts, chances are that the family dynamic will suffer. The involvement of addicts in divorce, separation, domestic violence issues, legal troubles, suffer unemployment has a negative impact on their kids. This has a direct impact on their children as they are not performing their tasks as a parent in the proper manner. Their kids are more likely to develop eating disorders, anxiety issues, possible suicide attempts, and teen depression.
There is a direct correlation between having drug addicts as parents and the likelihood of a child suffering from physical or mental abuse in the home. These children will begin to question why their parents act in this manner and they will blame themselves. Children of addicts have lower self esteem and carry the scars of their childhood forever.
Emotional Pain
Pain is not restricted to the physical aspects of a child's upbringing. Even if a drug addict's child is not physically disabled or impaired, the emotional trouble from living with an addict can have a lasting impact. These children are exceedingly likely to have anxiety disorders, particularly as they spend so many years having no control over their family lives.
These kids are less likely to feel comfortable at school and with their friends. They always feel as if they have something to hide and they do not get to experience a normal childhood. In addition to taking care of themselves, children of addicts have to worry about their parents every day. The fear that their parent(s) will overdose or leave them is a constant presence in their lives.
Becoming an addict is a surefire way to ruin one's life, but it is the impact on others that often goes unnoticed. Children of addicts suffer more than anyone, and it is up to society to try and help these individuals as much as possible by having them take the assessment as a first step.