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parental addiction can start from an addict is high and the likelihood The effects of parental substance/
birth. If the mother is drinking or of boys getting into crime and drugs drug use can have a negative impact
doing drugs while pregnant, she can is equally high. in role modelling, trust and concepts
severely harm her child, resulting When intoxicated, parents can of normative behaviour, which can
to physical defects such as growth use their sense of morality and damage the relationships between
stunting, organ malformation can step past boundaries of what generations. A child with a parent
or mental disorders such as is appropriate and what is not. who abuses substances or drugs
attachment/attention disorders. When angered or upset under the may grow up to be an overprotective
Many pregnant women are ashamed influence, they can lash out and and controlling parent who does
of their drug/alcohol dependence cause verbal, physical and sexual not allow his/her children sufficient
due to the stigmas attached to them, abuse. Children in this family’s autonomy. Parents might present
and thus they don’t seek adequate experience both mentally and a healthy face to the community
parental care. physical scarring; whether they see while substance abuse issues lie just
Their own physical and mental violence portrayed against someone below the surface.
well being is also affected; they can else-like the other parent who is not
develop reproductive complications into addiction or come into direct It is not only them who need
or depression. When under the contact with it, many children from psychological support but the entire
influence of drugs/alcohol parents these families suffer from post- family including children and, in
can lack the initiative to take good traumatic stress disorder. some cases, the extended family
care of their children. This includes In the emotional domain, parents like grandparents who frequently
not taking them to the doctor when in addiction are more focused assume the primary care-giving
they are sick, or not providing the on their next high hence leaving role when parents are absent due to
basic needs because their money their children’s emotional needs drug/substance abuse.
is been put towards drugs/alcohol ignored. This can lead to a lot of
instead. problems from trust issues, to In conclusion, I must say as a
In the mental domain, effects are social disconnection, to feeling parent let us open our eyes, see the
characterized by chaos, unclear shame towards their parents. This truth and talk to our children and
communication and insecurity. negative impact of emotional be a best role model we can be,
Children of parents in addiction growth can start from birth. Parents commit ourselves to discouraging
are less likely to do well in school, and children must bond with each our children to pick habits that
be truant or can be expelled from other in order to feel connected to have a far-reaching consequence
school. Due to lack of repercussions one another. If one or both parents in their overall growth. In his
for their own parents’ actions, are under the influence, their book ‘The Generous Gambler’, C.
children may believe that there is perception is altered and they are P Baudelaire wrote, “The loveliest
no reason to respect authority, or not able to give adequate attention trick of the devil is to persuade
they exhibit behaviour problems to their child. you that he does not exist.” It is not
because they act out in order to get The children may suffer from a shame to be deceived but it is to
attention, whether good or bad. depression due to lack of care and stay in deception. The personal
When rules are relaxed at home and love in the home. Once children and societal costs of addiction are
supervision is ignored, children are older, they may begin to feel as just too high for anyone to ignore.
will be likely to engage in risky if they have to be the ones to take Addiction thrives where it is fuelled
behaviours with or without their care of their parents, or they may – it needs support. Seek help, find
parent’s knowledge. Adolescents blame themselves for their parent’s hope
tend to mimic their parent’s drug/substance abuse. These Shamita Omote – Counselor &
behaviour and believe that it is children often have emotional Therapist
acceptable for them to use drugs underdevelopment and this role
and alcohol to cope with stresses reversal is stressful and can cause
and problems just as their parents a lot of anxiety for a teenager who
do. If they get into substance/drug believes they have to keep the family
abuse, the probability of girls dating running.
or marrying someone who is also
March - May 2021 KPSA Excellence 35
