The effects of drug abuse on a person’s family. As a recovering addict I know firsthand how my addiction affected my family. Addiction to alcohol or drugs is a disease; it affects everyone in the family, not just the substance abuser. Effects may vary depending on family structure, manifesting differently in individual family members; According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse both alcohol and drugs can have dramatic negative effects on a developing fetus.
They have been linked with premature birth, decreased head circumference, brain functioning difficulties and low birth weight, Even if no harmful effects are immediately noticed at a baby's birth, children who were directly exposed to alcohol and some drugs may eventually exhibit problems such as increased irritability, and behavioral problems. I have a son who developed a brain tumor called “Pleomorphic Xanthroastrocytoma”, his doctor is unsure if it was caused by my drug use as it is a very rare tumor. Indiana State University kept the tumor to study it and those studies are ongoing.It is very possible that my drug use before and during pregnancy caused this tumor.
Parental substance abuse increases a child's chance of having emotional problems such as depression, anxiety and psychiatric disorders, both of my boys suffer from ADHD as well as other emotional disorders. My oldest son worked really hard to overcome these issues and excelled in sports and has graduated high school. He is 19 and we are working on developing a relationship. My middle son has multiple behavioral problems that stemmed from his feelings of abandonment and neglect.
He is now 17 and I realize that his behaviors now, are chosen behaviors and have nothing to do with my drug addiction but they began as a result of them. He has been seen by many psychologists and psychiatrists and has been diagnosed as being oppositional defiant and borderline sociopath. In children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), there is an ongoing pattern of uncooperative, defiant, and hostile behavior toward authority figures that seriously interferes with the child’s day to day functioning.Symptoms of ODD may include: * Frequent temper tantrums Excessive arguing with adults * Often questioning rules * Active defiance and refusal to comply with adult requests and rules * Deliberate attempts to annoy or upset people * Blaming others for his or her mistakes or misbehavior * Often being touchy or easily annoyed by others * Frequent anger and resentment * Mean and hateful talking when upset * Spiteful attitude and revenge seeking Visible symptoms of borderline sociopath include; physical aggression, the inability to sustain relationships and shows a lack of regret in his or her actions.
Sometimes I truly hate myself for what I have done to my children and family and it is a constant struggle to stay focused on my recovery. Children of substance abusers are also less likely to bond with their parents, in our case this is from both of them feeling abandoned by me. This can potentially lead them to have trouble trusting other people, learning from others, understanding others' emotions, feeling empathy or remorse; they have trouble maintaining relationships and also show a lack of self confidence. I see all of these characteristics in both of my boys, some more than others.
I have been in recovery for several years now but we are all still paying the price for the choices I made. The consequences don’t just seize to exist because I am getting well. My parents adopted them to keep them from being separated in the foster care system. After raising 15 children of their own they should have been retiring and instead they were raising my children and coping with all of the problems that arose with them because of my addiction.
Children aren’t the only ones that suffer from depression and other psychiatric disorders due to substance abuse. Many addictions stem from the person being depressed.Other medical issues can arise from substance abuse; I contracted HIV as well as Hepatitis B while in my addiction. Studies show that HIV was typically connected with injection drug use and needle sharing. However, this view underestimates the impact that drug abuse can have on spreading HIV and AIDS through the dangerous risk behaviors it engenders.
Drug and alcohol intoxication affect judgment and can lead to risky sexual behaviors that put people in danger of contracting or transmitting HIV. In addition, substance abuse may facilitate the progression of HIV infections by further compromising the immune system.While in my addiction my immune system was compromised for the simple fact that I neglected to take my antiviral drugs and came really close to having full blown aids. I now take my medications regularly and am almost to the point that I am undetectable.
I am unsure if I contracted these diseases through sharing needles or unprotected sex, what I am sure of is that I wouldn’t be dealing with it if I hadn’t been using drugs in the first place. In closing I can say from experience that everyone that is either directly involved or indirectly involved with a person that uses drugs or alcohol suffer the consequences in one way or another.
