More Than 9 Million Kids are Affected by a Parent’s Drug or Alcohol Abuse

A recent SAMHSA report found that almost 12% of children in the United States live with a parent that either is dependent on or abuses drugs or alcohol. The finding comes from an analysis of results from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health from 2002 – 2007. Specifically, about 2.1 million children lived with a parent who was dependent on or abused illicit drugs, and almost 7.3 million children lived with a parent who was dependent on or abused alcohol.

According to the report, “Substance use disorders can have a profound influence on the lives of individuals and their families, particularly their children…These data highlight the potential breadth of needs for the whole family—from substance abuse treatment for the affected adults to prevention and supportive services for the children.”

Another recently released report from SAMHSA shows that new mothers seem to be rapidly resuming the use of alcohol, cigarettes or drugs right after giving birth. The report, which analyzed data from the same national surveys at the above-mentioned report, found non-pregnant women with children under 3 months old in the household had much higher rates of past month alcohol use than women in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy (6.2% vs. 31.9%). Similar results were found in binge alcohol use (1% vs. 10%), cigarette use (13.9% vs. 20.4%) and marijuana use (1.4% vs. 3.8%). The report also noted that while more women seem to be heeding warnings about using drugs and alcohol during pregnancy, especially during the 3rd trimester, the number of women who drink alcohol during pregnancy is still high. According to the report, “Effective interventions for women to further reduce substance use during pregnancy and to prevent postpartum resumption of use could improve the overall health and well-being of mothers and infants.”

These 2 recent reports clearly illustrate the need to address the effects a person’s substance use has on the people around her, especially children. Those that grow up with a parent or parents that abuse alcohol or drugs are profoundly affected throughout their lives. Addressing these effects are important for the well-being of the friends, family members and others around the addicted person. Crossroads for Women will be holding its last educational series of the year for friends and family members affected by addiction on June 2nd at its outpatient office in Portland, ME. The 4-week series will focus on the basics of addiction, the recovery process and how to be supportive of an addicted loved one while also taking care of you. Find out more about the educational series or services for friends and family members of addicted loved ones.

Read the full reports
Children Living with Substance-Dependent or Substance-Abusing Parents: 2002 – 2007
Substance Use among Women During Pregnancy and Following Childbirth

technorati tags: SAMHSA, Crossroads for Women, addiction, substance abuse, children, parents

The legal ramifications of enabling a loved one’s drug or alcohol addiction

Last week, Anna Nicole Smith’s partner / lawyer, Howard K. Stern, and two doctors were charged with multiple felonies for illegally supplying the drugs that ultimately led to her accidental fatal overdose in February of 2007. Several prescription drugs were found in the room in which she died.

It was reported that all three men were charged with “prescribing, administering or dispensing a controlled substance to an addict,” among other felonies. The two doctors, Sandeep Kapoor and Khristine Eroshevich, were also charged with illegally obtaining prescriptions for opiates. (Read the CNN article on the charges)

Anna Nicole’s sad case puts a spotlight on the extreme ramifications, in this case death and legal action, that can occur when enabling a loved one’s drug and/or alcohol addiction. While supplying the drugs to an addict is an obvious enabling activity, some enabling behaviors are not as overt.

Many family members and friends of addicted men and women don’t know how to handle the effects of the addiction. They don’t know how to act. How they can help. If they can help. And they probably aren’t taking care of themselves in the meantime.

Crossroads for Women will be offering its 4-week educational series, “The Effects of Addiction on Friends and Family,” starting on April 7th at its outpatient office in Portland, Maine. The series helps those affected by someone else’s drug or alcohol problem – whether that person is in treatment, recovery or still in active addiction – by educating them on the basics of addiction, the recovery process and how to take care of themselves while also being supportive of the addicted loved one. Find out more about the series and how to sign up

In the end, the more knowledge a person has on addiction and its effects on everyone around it, the better he or she can cope.

Read more on enabling a loved one’s addiction:

Anna Nicole’s Enablers Face Felony Charges (from About.com’s alcoholism blog)

Are you enabling your loved one’s alcohol or drug problem? (from this blog)

technorati tags: Crossroads for Women, Anna Nicole Smith, Howard K Stern, enabling, addiction

5 Things Families Can do to Support Loved Ones in Recovery

Addiction to drugs or alcohol can cause a lot of disruption in families. The disruption can occur even when the addicted person has received treatment and is moving in the path of recovery. The following 5 suggestions for family members dealing with a loved one new to recovery come from HBO’s Addiction website:

1. Educate yourself on the recovery process for individuals and families.
2. If your recovering family member is living with you, provide a sober environment to support that recovery.
3. Seek professional and peer support (from a group like Al-Anon) for your own physical and emotional health. Support your family member’s involvement in treatment aftercare meetings and recovery support groups.
4. Assist the recovering family member with assistance in locating sober housing, employment, child care, transportation or other recovery support needs.
5. Assertively re-intervene in the face of any relapse episode.

Read the full text of the article by William L. White, MA

Crossroads for Women also offers education and counseling designed specifically for friends and family members of women and men who struggle with addiction. Our next 4-week educational series, “The Effects of Addiction on Friends & Family,” starts on September 9th and still has slots open. The series explores the basics of addiction, the recovery process and how to be supportive of the loved one while also taking care of you and is held in Portland, Maine. Find out more about the series or Crossroads for Women’s services for friends and family members.

technorati tags: addiction, recovery, HBO, Crossroads for Women, effects of addiction on family, support

Recovery for friends and family members

Anyone close to someone addicted to alcohol or drugs is affected by that addiction. Friends, family members, co-workers and peers struggle with strained relationships, the desire to help the person and just figuring out how to deal with someone that seems to be on the road to destruction.

Even when that person gets into much needed treatment for their substance abuse, the remaining friends and family members need to evaluate what addiction has done to their relationships and to them. Recovery is a common term for those that find sobriety and a new way of life, but recovery is also for the network of friends and family members around the addicted person.

Trust that was lost must be built again. This is often easier said than done. Friends and family need to take a look at how they’ve all been impacted and ask themselves individually, how was I changed by this experience? What changed for the good and what changed for the bad? How do I move forward?

These are not easy questions to answer. Luckily, many substance abuse treatment facilities have programs specifically for those affected by addiction. Crossroads for Women has family programs at its residential facilities and outpatient services for those affected by a loved one’s addiction. Its popular educational series, “The Effects of Addiction on Friends and Family,” addresses the basics of addiction, the recovery process and how to be supportive of an addicted loved one while also taking care of you. The last week of the 4-week series is dedicated to recovery for the whole family.

Anyone with a loved one that is addicted to drugs or alcohol or who works with those that are affected, whether they are in treatment or not, would benefit from this series. The next one starts on June 3rd at Crossroads for Women’s outpatient office on 66 Pearl Street, Suite 202 in Portland, Maine. Find out more

FMI
Get details about the June 3rd educational series
View “The Effects of Addiction on Friends and Family” flyer with 2008 schedule (PDF)
Find out more about Crossroads for Women’s services for those affected by addiction

Technorati Tags: recovery, effects of addiction, friends, family, drugs, alcohol