Substance addiction is one of the most persistent public health challenges that we face globally.
Regardless of your background, wealth, age, gender, or other factor, substance addiction affects us either directly or indirectly.
According to WHO – the World Health Organization – alcohol-related and alcohol-specific fatalities reach millions annually.
From liver diseases and other organ failures to violent crimes, murder, and driving under the influence, alcohol kills millions of people worldwide.
Although addiction is seen as a personal struggle, and also sometimes as a “moral failure” or a “lifestyle choice” in the view of those uneducated on the subject, families and communities play a pivotal role in preventing and exacerbating addiction.
As the proverb goes, it takes a village to raise a child. While a drug and alcohol detox offers optimal recovery, increasing awareness in the community can prevent cases of substance addiction.
Families in particular play a significant role in someone’s social behaviour, beliefs, cognitive development, and more.
Whether a child grows up in a hospitable or a hostile home environment, parental support networks can improve the quality of life – especially their health and sobriety – greatly and break the cycle of addiction.
Understanding Alcohol Addiction as a Family Disease
Substance addiction is a disease of chronic brain relapsing. When someone consumes intoxicating and addictive substances like drugs or alcohol, it stimulates the reward pathways.
These pathways are dopaminergic – meaning that they release dopamine – which is problematic because it means that people rely on drugs and alcohol to experience pleasure and stimulation.
As a result, the subject becomes physically or psychologically addicted.
When suffering from substance addiction, the addicted person experiences a a range of physical and psychological symptoms.
These symptoms range from headaches, nausea, muscle cramps, to more severe issues such as psychosis and seizures that can be fatal.
When combined with compulsive thoughts, the addicted person may experience financial and housing insecurity, emotional issues, relationship breakdown, and much more.
Understanding Addiction & the Developing Brain
Neuroscientific studies support the idea that the brain isn’t fully developed until around 25 years of age.
This means that while the brain is developing, it has a higher level of neuroplasticity, and thus the ability to change neural pathways more easily.
When you combine this with alcohol consumption, children and young adults are much more likely to develop an addiction if they consume intoxicating substances.
This is because their brain is particularly vulnerable to altering pathways in a way that they become more dependent on alcohol.
The Hidden Impact of Parental Alcohol Use
Studies conducted by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism show that children who grow up with parents who show signs of alcohol dependence are significantly more likely to develop substance dependence themselves.
Studies also show that descendants of relatives who suffered from drug or alcohol addiction may also inherit some of the genetic factors that leaves them vulnerable.
When you take these studies into consideration, there are clearly many factors at play, from biological, social, and environmental.
Here are some of the ways in which living in an environment with parents suffering from alcohol dependence can expose the child to similar issues:
- Mental health issues: Much like Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), being exposed to alcohol misuse in the home can cause lasting trauma. Emotional neglect, inconsistency, and exposure to conflict erode a child’s sense of safety and predictability. Over time, this can lead to anxiety, depression, and in many cases self-medication through alcohol or drugs.
- Misconception of what is “normal”: Children often grow up thinking that the behaviour and habits in their household is normal or regular. Whether the child suffers from domestic abuse, neglect, or witnesses their loved one frequently engaging in intoxicating substances, they may perceive this as normal in society, leading to the development of unhealthy habits.
- Cognitive impairments: Other studies also suggest that children exposed to substances and the behaviour of other addicted people can stunt the development of their prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for impulse control, emotional regulation, problem solving, and more. Not only can this affect the child in academic environments, but it can adversely impact their social interactions and long-term relationships
Without early intervention or stable support systems, these children grow into adults who may repeat the same maladaptive coping strategies — perpetuating the cycle of addiction.
Building a Culture of Collective Responsibility
Although parents have a tremendous influence on their child’s wellbeing, preventing and treating addiction requires a coordinated community effort.
By involving schools, healthcare providers, local organisations, and workplaces, we can increase the awareness regarding excessive alcohol intake, antisocial behaviour, and addiction in an effort to create a healthier community.
When a community talks openly about something in a non-confrontational manner, it reduces stigma, increases awareness, and encourages people to help other members of the community.
Why Parental Support Networks Matter
Parental support networks can offer families support in many ways.
From emotional support, developing coping mechanism skills, resilience building, education and enlightenment, parental support networks seek to improve not only the individual but the home environment.
When parents are equipped with the necessary knowledge, guidance, and coping mechanisms, they can shift from being reactive to becoming proactive in the face of substance addiction.
Rather than being irrational and responding with intense emotion, parents can become pragmatic, empathetic, and composed when responding to addiction.
Parental support networks come in different forms:
- Family therapy: Family therapy comes in a wide range of forms, from programs that aim to improve communication between family members to those with the goal of supporting a teenager or young adult’s alcohol addiction recovery. Ultimately, the benefits of family therapy include higher levels of wellbeing, strengthened family ties, improved communication, and more.
- Self-help groups: Self-help groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and SMART Recovery welcome individuals and families alike to foster positive lifestyle changes to overcome addiction.
- Educational workshops: Workshops, whether organised by the workplace, private or local organisations, can help family members improve their addiction literacy, boundary-setting, and relapse prevention strategies.
How Parental Support Networks Empower Families
People may be reluctant to seek professional counselling or therapy for a range of reasons.
Whether it’s the fear of stigmatisation or the lack of faith in the results of communication therapies and support groups, there are many reasons why one would have doubts.
However, the benefits are extensive and vary.
Here’s how parental support networks empower families and support addiction recovery:
- Combat isolation: Suffering from an addiction can evoke feelings of shame. Rather than seeking help, people may resort to silence and suffer from social isolation. Support groups encourage parents and individuals to not only seek support, but it also helps them realise that they aren’t alone, and that addiction is a disease that affects millions globally.
- Educate and empower: From relapse prevention strategies, coping mechanisms, to understanding the root cause of addictions, support networks provide people with practical tools to overcome addiction. Support networks don’t only encourage abstinence, but they equip you with ways to optimise your life.
- Improve family dynamics: Whether a family suffers from a rebellious child, poor lines of communication between parents, or a toxic home environment, support networks greatly improve family dynamics. Not only does it improve family dynamics now, it sets up families for long-term success. A 2023 study published in The Journal of Family Therapy found that integrated family-based interventions increased long-term recovery rates by nearly 40%, compared to individual-only treatment plans.
- Break the cycle: Ultimately, by becoming aware of substance addiction and recovery methods, you can pass on your knowledge and experience, preventing intergenerational addiction. By acknowledging their own weaknesses, such as their emotional triggers, parents can disrupt the learned behaviors that often lead children toward substance misuse later in life.
Breaking the Cycle
While addiction directly impacts individuals, it stifles communities worldwide.
Whether you’re suffering from the emotional impact of your loved one succumbing to addiction, or you’re a victim of domestic abuse, alcohol-related injuries and accidents, or you are unable to receive support from overworked and underfunded public facilities, addiction affects us in immeasurable ways.
Parental networks can encourage not only parents but communities to foster a mindset of honesty, open-mindedness, and compassion.
Not only will this encourage people to seek treatment, but it can reduce the stigma within communities and increase awareness of vulnerability in the community.
Breaking the cycle of alcohol addiction is possible, but it starts with a community that offers unconditional support.
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