Phillips-Family and Addictions
Family & Addictions
Substance use cannot only have an effect on the individual themselves, but also affecting others around them such as family. With there being many substances out there to use and knowing that they can have a big impact on one's health and mental stability, it is important to discuss how families can also be affected when one struggles from addiction. Looking at one of the most commonly used substances which is heroin, this is a drug that is highly addictive and is sure to be a hard situation for people within a family to witness. Relationships may become broken, there is a higher risk of the parents outliving their child who is addicted to heroin and possibly facing issues such as an increase in violence.
Parents
Looking at the perspective from a parent and seeing how they may become affected by knowing that their child is suffering from addiction to heroin, it can be a scary situation that has unfortunate consequences. Being the parent of someone who struggles with heroin addiction can be physically, emotionally, and financially draining. There are several signs of heroin addiction that parents may notice. The child or adult may become closed-off, distant and dishonest (Rezoni, 2021). Parents may find that their teen or adult child is stealing money or items from them to sell to buy heroin (Rezoni, 2021). This then can lead to a lack of trust between the parents and child, which may then lead the child to engage in risky crimes to get money for their substance.
Parents seek help for heroin-addicted children video link: https://www.cnn.com/videos/health/2017/11/11/heroin-addiction-in-america-tuchman-dnt-ac.cnn
Siblings
Siblings can also be just as affected by the use of addiction but it seems to not be talked about as much.
Siblings of addicts are sometimes referred to as the “invisible victims" (Redwine, 2021). Parents are so consumed by the sibling with the addiction problem that oftentimes the other children end up taking the sidelines. They often feel a variety of emotions like confusion, frustration, shame, resentment, and more (Redwine, 2021). Having that attention taken away from them due to the focus being on the other sibling who is going through an addiction can make them become separated from the family as well and possibly resort to other methods to gain some form of pleasure. Some siblings may turn to substances such as heroin as well and begin following the same path as their brother or sister as a way to escape the pain or to draw some of their parents’ attention back to them (Redwine, 2021). Enabling Vs. Co-Dependency
Other behaviors that can occur within a family system surrounding addiction is enabling an addictive and their self-destructive behaviors. When a partner, child or parent enables a family member, they shield the addict from the consequences of their actions (Family First Intervention, 2017). This enabling may come in the form of paying rent or monthly bills for a spouse, providing housing to a child without a job (Family First Intervention, 2017). When this continues to occur, negative behaviors will continue on for the addict and it will encourage them to continue on with their destructive lifestyle.
Examples Include:
- Family funds being threatened due to giving addict money constantly (Money begins to come up missing)
- Other loved ones feeling neglected when attention is directed at an addict (Tense atmosphere)
- Treatment for addiction is delayed
- The longer an addict is enabled by his or her family, the more likely that the addict will never receive treatment for substance abuse. In some cases, the addict succumbs to an overdose before he or she can be convinced to quit (Family First Intervention, 2017)
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When it comes to codependency, this defines a relationship in which one partner has extreme physical or emotional needs, and the other partner spends most of their time responding to those needs, often to the detriment of the codependent partner’s life, activities, and other relationships (American Addiction Centers, 2022). This in turn makes it easier for an addict to maintain their challenging or destructive behaviors, which is commonly found in those who have close relationships to people who struggle with addiction.
Symptoms of codependency would include:
- Low self-esteem
- People-pleasing
- Unhealthy/absence of boundaries
Offering Support
Family members can assume healthy roles and behaviors to encourage and support recovery which includes holding the loved one accountable for their behavior and creating rewards for positive choices (Addiction Center, 2021). There is also the level of involvement that can play a role in helping support a loved one during their recovery. Being involved in activities such as attending support groups with their loved one or attending other support groups that revolve around addiction for families shows that the family truly wants to help their loved one with getting the help they need.
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References
Addiction Center. (2021, November 5). The Role of Family in Addiction Recovery. Addiction Center. Retrieved March 18, 2022, from https://www.addictioncenter.com/addiction/role-family-addiction-recovery/
American Addiction Centers. (2022, January 7). Codependency & addiction: Signs & negative impacts of codependency. American Addiction Centers. Retrieved March 18, 2022, from https://americanaddictioncenters.org/rehab-guide/codependent-relationship
Family First Intervention. (2017, May 31). How enabling behaviors hurt the whole family. Family First Intervention. Retrieved March 18, 2022, from https://family-intervention.com/blog/how-enabling-behaviors-hurt-whole-family/
Redwine, E. (2021, December 9). The Impact and Effects of Drug Addiction on the Entire Family. Peace Valley Recovery. Retrieved March 18, 2022, from https://www.peacevalleyrecovery.com/blog/how-drug-addiction-affects-the-entire-family/
Rezoni, C. (2021, November 23). How heroin affects families. The Recovery Village Drug and Alcohol Rehab. Retrieved March 18, 2022, from https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/heroin-addiction/how-heroin-addiction-affects-families/
Hey A'janae, great post! First off, I love the picture you chose at the beginning of your post because it definitely made me interested right off the bat and all the images you used were important and tied your whole post about family and addiction together. I liked the image about how enabling hurts everyone, too. You also had some awesome information regarding addiction and the family, and especially in regards to heroin addiction. One aspect that was really interesting to me was how you touched on siblings and how addiction can effect them. Like you mentioned, this is not talked about much at all because so much attention is always steered toward the addict. We often don't consider the consequences that can come from our actions, and how they will effect others. It also influenced me to think about my family and how they have dealt with my addiction through the years. I can understand why a sibling of an addict may also become an addict themselves, or act out, to receive attention. It is really unfair that the other children in the family end up suffering as well because of one person's addiction. Heroin itself is scary, let alone the fact that it is so addicting and it completely takes over one's life. Lastly, your definitions of codependency and enabling were really interesting and demonstrated the differences between the two terms. I was wanting to read more after I got to the end of your post! Great job again!! :)
ReplyDeleteA'janae, I have to echo what Emily said. Great way to open your blog with that photo. I think all images you used really enhance your blog. I liked how you pinpointed the affect on the parents and the siblings. Overall your information is very well researched, easy to read through and well formatted. I liked the specific examples or Co-dependency and enabling. The photo for enabling made me stop and think because it politely puts the enabler in its place. Really nice addition adding the video as well.
ReplyDeleteA'janae,
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful post that has reflected detail on how the family may be affected from heroin addiction. Often parents can become enablers and not even realize it. They may be giving their child money on a regular basis that seems to be spent on nothing visible, but they continue to give them money to go out. Parents may over-look the signs of addiction because they don't necessary want to believe that their child could be using drugs. It is important for people that are dealing with such an intense addiction to have a lot of support around them mentally and physically. Heroin addiction can quickly take control of a person's life, so it is important that the family members try helping them as soon as they notice an issue. Sadly, addicts can sometimes become good at hiding their addiction for a long period of time which can make it harder to get them sober when the family does discover the issue.