Substance Abuse-Drugs and Alcohol
Drug and Alcohol Abuse Hurts You and Those Around You
Effects on family and children effected of the crisis
Drug abuse: Family members might fight a lot because of the problems the drug abuse is causing. The drug user might do and say things that upset neighbors and friends, and make the family ashamed. It also puts a lot of stress on the family members affected.
When family members take drugs:
- You can't count on them to do what they say they will do.
- They may forget or get distracted because their focus is on getting and taking drugs.
- They might lie or steal money to buy drugs.
- They might get fired from their jobs.
- They might not come home at night.
- They may do bad things they would never do if they weren't abusing drugs.
Alcohol abuse: Children can have deep-seated Psychological and emotional reaction growing up, were physically or sexually abused by parent, exhibit symptoms of depression and anxiety that includes crying, social isolation or nightmares. Fortunately most children don't develop serious problems coping with life. An estimate of 6.6 million children under 18 live in households with an alcoholic parent.
Explanation of Crisis: Drug Abuse
Explanation of Crisis: Alcohol Abuse
Options for support
Alcohol abuse: Talk to a person about it, ask them to improve behavior for their own good, suggest they cut back, not go out to bars as often and wait to see what happens. Don't expect them to stop drinking and to stay sober without help or even professional help.
Drug abuse: Set boundaries that you all agree on, provide a clean environment that reduces triggers for using drugs, sadly people are more likely to change if they have suffered enough negative consequences to make them understand they need to stop taking drugs or more bad things will happen to them.