Parental drug addiction is a more widespread issue than many realize. A 2016 study from Harvard Medical School estimates that one in five children live with a parent or caregiver who misuses drugs or alcohol. NorthKey Community Care, a provider of mental health, substance abuse, and developmental disabilities services in Covington, KY, warns that the effects of parental drug abuse on children can trigger lasting trauma.

Each family is uniquely affected by the misuse of drugs and alcohol in the home. According to NorthKey Community Care, parental drug addiction puts children at a higher risk for emotional, physical, and mental health issues.

The most prevalent affect is neglect, as parents are often fixated on acquiring drugs or too inebriated to provide their children proper care. Many kids find themselves consistently home alone or left in someone else’s care. This can cause attachment issues that make a child more vulnerable to stress and susceptible to issues with trauma, anxiety, depression, and other forms of mental illness.

Children can become traumatized from seeing their parent under the influence of drugs or alcohol, especially when the parent becomes angry, aggressive, or depressive. This toxic home environment can cause children to perform poorly in school, or have issues developing positive relationships with their peers. Findings from a study supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism indicate that parental alcohol abuse may be linked to various forms of child abuse, including physical, sexual, and emotional.

The effects of parental drug abuse can last well into adulthood. A 2012 Croatian study found that children who grow up in such an environment are at risk of developing a substance abuse disorder themselves. Adults who grew up in homes with prevalent drug use often end up in abusive relationships, and some studies suggest that parents who experienced drug abuse as children are more likely to be abusive to their own later on in life.

For more information on parental drug addiction and how to overcome it, speak with the skilled team at NorthKey Community Care. Their specialty services include alcohol abuse treatment, individual and family counseling, and mental health services to help adults adopt coping strategies and stress management techniques. Learn more about the availability of substance abuse counseling by visiting their website or giving their team a call today at (859) 331-3292.