How Substance Abuse Affects Families

Jan 5th, 2010 by Sandra

The two ways that substance abuse affects families the most are emotionally and financially. Once in a while, they can even affect them in a physically threatening way when the psychological changes in the substance abuser changes to an elevated need for the substance.

* First, there is the emotional affect.

A family can find the substance abuser getting distant or the family may distance itself from the user to protect other family members such as younger children. The roller coaster of emotions that goes with dealing with a loved one who is on drugs goes from shame and embarrassment to feeling closed off and alone, as the family is unsure of who to turn to or what to do about the situation.

* Next, we have the financial affect it can have on the family.

If the user is the breadwinner of the family, then it could very well lead to bankruptcy and literally losing their home. Fewer bills get paid, fewer responsibilities met, as the user spends more and more money on the substances he or she is hooked on. If the addict is a teenager, he may begin stealing from his parents. Anything he does, his parents are highly likely to be responsible for in the legal system, not to mention the legal fees associated with anything done by the addict regardless of age. Whether it is seeking legal counsel or being fined for drug use during probation or parole, or being sued over a situation that led to the destruction of someone’s property or someone getting hurt, legal fees can skyrocket.

* Sometimes, substance abuse can lead to an injury or even death.

The drugs make the addict delusional or paranoid, or he finds himself in a situation where he needs money to get his next “fix”, and if a family member tries to get in the way of that, he or she may find themselves hurt by the last person on earth they would have thought capable of that. This is because the drugs have altered the mind of the person they love so much.