Drug Rehab Phoenix
In this article I want to talk about children of alcoholics and other drug dependencies (COA). When speaking of COA, there are many things to consider. These include, what is addiction, which is affected by an addiction and how addiction affects them, and what can be done to the children involved.
First Instead, let's talk about what is an addiction. There are many opinions on this issue and of course I have mine, but since the main objective of this post is to talk about children that are affected by addiction to keep the simple definition. There are two main theories about what one is addiction. One theory is that an addiction is nothing more than just a lack of willpower. However, most professionals and experts in the addiction treatment field believe that addiction is a brain disease. For more information on the science of drug abuse and addiction recommend reading the website InfoFacts the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse Drug Abuse (NIDA). With this in mind, it is important to remember that we should not blame the addict and addiction is even more important to teach the children of addicts are not blame themselves for their parents' addiction and is not a reflection on how much parents love for them.
The next thing to consider is who in the family is affected by an addiction and how it affects them. The answer to who is affected is that everyone in the family. While this may seem a very simple answer is actually quite the opposite. That affects everyone in the family makes it a much more complex. There are some very subtle signs and some not so subtle signs that a child is being affected by parental alcohol or other substances. I'll name a few, but suggest you visit the website for the Phoenix House Center on Addiction and Family (COAF) for more information. Some of the symptoms are very similar to the signs of alcohol or drug use in a child. For example, if the child is neglected or dirty, the child seems unusually sleepy, a high rate of illness or health problems, or if there are fluctuations in the child's academic performance. However, what Unlike these symptoms, apart from the suspicion of alcohol or drugs in children are the signs that parents are shown. These may include parents that it is very difficult access, parents who are missing appointments or meetings, or even to the extent that the parent (s) show the influence of drugs appointments or meetings.
These signals directly relate to how alcohol or substance abuse of parents affects the child. The child may be affected in many ways. For example, a child may seem messy or untidy because of the negligence of parents for their substance use. The life of a family in which a parent is abusing alcohol or other drugs, may be considered unstructured and can lead to confusion and fear in the child because of his lack of understanding of how substances affect the behavior of their parents. Another factor that lead to fear in child is that inside the house substance abusers there is usually a higher amount of violence, even if violence is not directed to the child, he or she is still attests. Another effect is that due to the high stress level of having to live in a chaotic and unpredictable the home of a child may have a greater number of diseases. These diseases may include stomach aches, headaches, and asthma. One of the most important effects, however, is that children of alcoholics and other drug dependencies are approximately 3-4 times more likely to become abusers themselves.
Given the seriousness of this problem, very few of us do not like to help children are affected by parental alcoholism or drug addiction. There are many actions people can take to help. If you are aware that a child is being affected by parental alcohol or substance abuse problem and able to speak with the child, can provide information on alcoholism and addiction and let them know that they have no nothing to be ashamed and they are not alone. Help them recognize that the problems at home are not caused by them and that parents are not to blame, but is a product of Addiction. Reinforce the fact that the child deserves to be happy and if they need help they are entitled to receive it. It can also provide links to resources, some of which are available on this website or you can do an Internet search for children of alcoholics and come with an abundance of resources. If you are in a position to do so, contact the local authorities, the child attends school or a local counseling agency on the possible situation and talk to them about best course of action.
I would like to conclude by saying that affect alcohol and other drug dependencies in children is extreme and should be treated as soon as possible to reduce the amount of trauma and victimization of children will experience. A number of resources for children, parents and professionals who want to educate and educate others about children of alcoholics and other drug dependencies, and I urge anyone who is aware of a possible situation for your visit and contact the appropriate authorities to discuss what can be done to prevent further damage.
Joseph Kernozek lives in Albany, New York. He has been in the substance abuse counseling field for several years and works at two Treatment Facilities in the Capital District of New York.
He also runs a blog/forum/networking website for people interested in sharing information, ideas and opinions about addiction and treatment called the Addiction and Treatment Blog at http://www.theaddictionblog.com.
You can reach him by e-mail at jkernozek@theaddictionblog.com.
Testimonial – Drug Rehab Phoenix Arizona | Alcohol Rehab Phoenix Arizona – The Sundance Center
