Son of a Parent who is Addicted to Alcohol or Drugs

Dealing with a parent who is addicted to alcohol or drugs is incredibly difficult. This is particularly true when you are still dependent on this person because of your age or living in their home. It is the parent’s job to take care of their child, but when they are addicted to a mind-altering substance, they lose the ability to fulfil this responsibility correctly. It can also lead to the very unfair situation where the child is in many ways taking care of the parent. There are many adjectives that can be used to describe the son of an addicted parent, but these are likely to include confused, embarrassed, concerned, afraid, powerless, frustrated, angry, ignored, and overwhelmed.

Why Do Parents Become Addicted to Alcohol or Drugs?

The most important thing to understand when it comes to dealing with an addicted parent is that none of this is your fault. The parent may sometimes use family problems as a justification for their behaviour, but this is just the way the addicted mind works. If they weren’t blaming the family, they would be blaming the weather or something else. The only reason for why the person abuses these substances is that they have become physically and psychologically dependent on them. They are caught up in denial, and they do not really see the reality of their situation. The addicted person behaves as they do because they are ill, but this in no way justifies their behaviour. It is up to them to get better and until they make the decision to do this they will remain trapped in addiction.

Dealing with an addicted parent can feel like a hopeless situation but things can change for the better. This person can reach a stage where they become ready to stop and really mean it – in fact, they are so determined that they make this a reality. This is not the same as the empty promises that they have made in the past, or the halfhearted attempts they have made at quitting. When the individual becomes ready to quit they become an unstoppable force and, with the right resources, they will be able to achieve permanent abstinence.

How to Help the Addicted Parent

It is important to keep in mind that it is not the job of children to fix their parents – this is particularly true with young children. The son of an addicted parent should encourage any efforts to change, and they can offer support in any way they can. The most important thing though, is that they are getting support to deal with this incredibly tough situation. Groups such as Alateen and Families Anonymous can be an excellent resource in such a situation.

Older family members can do more practical things to help the parent break away from addiction. One of the most effective approaches for this is know an intervention. This is where family and friends come together to confront the individual with the impact of their behaviour. The aim of the intervention is not to bully the person into rehab, but just to confront them with the reality of their situation. An intervention needs to be conducted the right way in order for it to be effective, and you can contact us here on 0800 024 1478 for advice on this. It can also be important to have a rehab ready should the individual agree to treatment because if there is a delay after the intervention the person can lose their motivation to quit.

How We Can Help You Get You Parent into Rehab

If your parent is ready to get help for their addiction problems, we will be able to help. Our team is expert when it comes to arranging treatment plans, and we will be able to arrange rehab placements. You are under no obligation by contacting us, and we will be happy to help in any way we can. Just call us directly, or text “help” to 66777 and we will get back to you straight away.

Help for family, friends, and close ones is just as important as the help people suffering with addiction need. Seek support to find the right path.