Any individual who has been a subject to the complicated world of substance abuse will understand, with a heart-shattering familiarity, how utterly devastating it can be. Not only does it deteriorate physical well-being. It also adversely impacts the psychological and emotional states.
However, it doesn’t just end here.
Drug addiction isn’t a disorder that occurs in a vacuum. And while the impacts of drug addiction are widely known. Unfortunately, we tend to overlook the broader picture. And that is the family picture.
The negative consequences of drug addiction can exhibit in various forms, impacting the relationships with spouses, children, siblings, and parents. In most cases, toxic situations such as deceit and manipulation arise between familial relationships.
Negative qualities are overstated, and over time, this behavior wreaks havoc. And families, once peaceful and content, now find themselves in a chaos of confusion and despair. Besides, family members also have to contend with financial, legal, and medical troubles.
If all this rings a bell, know that you aren’t alone in this. If you have been struggling with drug abuse, read on to learn how it can leave enormous repercussions on your family:
Increased levels of stress
Watching someone close get in the grips of substance abuse undoubtedly is heart-breaking. And unfortunately, more often than not, close relations are the ones that are more susceptible to the stress and other adverse effects of prolonged drug abuse.
In the throes of drug abuse, you may leave all of your life responsibilities to other family members. And what tends to occur in such circumstances is enabling. Paying utility bills, completing house chores, and raising the kids alone can put the partner at a heightened risk of stress-induced diseases. Additionally, it may also give rise to discomfort in the house.
With that said, there’s still light at the end of the tunnel. Addiction treatment facilities such as substance rehabilitation can help you lessen the obstacles, live a meaningful life, and heal the wounds caused by this disorder. And while the road to sobriety may seem like an uphill battle, it can help you rebuild stronger bonds with your loved ones.
Relationship issues
It’s excruciating to watch a loved one change for the worse. And unfortunately, spouses are the ones that have to bear the most evident strain of drug addiction in terms of marriage.
Often, a person battling drug problems doesn’t notice the impacts of their behavior and acts recklessly in a relationship. As a significant other, you may always respond with anger and sadness and fail to meet your partner’s expectations. Treachery and self-absorption create a wedge between the two individuals.
Communication becomes highly challenging, increasing frustration. And this, in turn, may result in broken relationships, separation, or divorces. And in some cases, the consequences of drug addiction might also include codependency. Meaning the partner overlooks their needs just for the sake of staying on good terms with the addicted individual.
Financial troubles
Drugs aren’t free of cost. The people in the drug business aren’t just to make people satisfied and happy. Instead, they make and sell drugs to make big bucks. As a result, drug addiction can cost you somewhere from less than a hundred dollars to more than a thousand dollars per month. The amount mainly hinges on various factors, such as which drugs you use and how frequently you use them.
But, how exactly does this cause a financial strain on the family members?
As a substance abuser, your performance at the workplace may not be up to snuff. Or perhaps you might remain absent from the workplace quite often. And this may eventually cause you to lose your job.
Additionally, you may fall back on savings and go to all lengths to satiate your addiction. Thus, your family might have problems meeting basic needs such as paying utility bills, food, clothes, and mortgage.
Emotional distress and trauma
Of all the members affected by the drug addiction, children are the ones that suffer the most traumatic impacts.
In most cases, children generally carry on with their lives as usual. Although behaviors such as sleep deprivation, bullying, sadness might appear once in a while. Also, children might find themselves lagging in learning and development.
However, kids are adaptable; the effects occur behind the façade. And the issues, more often than not, crop up in adulthood. Since your children grew up watching your excessive drug abuse, aggressive behavior, and heated arguments in the house, they may suffer from psychological distress and emotional angst.
What’s more? Even if your kids don’t end up using drugs in the future, they might struggle to fight the feelings of self-blame and guilt.
Final Words
Drug abuse, undeniably, is a progressive disease; there are various causes of it – strained relationships, peer pressure, career demands, to name a few. No matter which factors may have coerced you to resort to drugs and consider it an escape route, your drug addiction can take a massive toll on your family members. And its health effects can be acute.
For instance, your siblings may continue to suffer in silence because they don’t want to steal attention from you. And your parents may feel guilty time and again and live with a whirlwind of different emotions – fear, loneliness, blame, confusion, and constant embarrassment.
Notwithstanding, you still have the power to reduce these effects significantly. There exist a plethora of outreach and therapy facilities that can render assistance. With these supportive services, addicted families can increase the likelihood of reestablishing relationships and lives.