When Should You Tell Your Kids About Their Family Addiction History
When Should You Tell Your Kids About Their Family Addiction History
Family addiction history is a subject that parents find difficult to discuss with their kids. This type of addiction issue has been a serious problem in the United States, and over twenty three million Americans have felt the effects of addiction first hand.
What happens when a drug or alcohol addiction crisis becomes this prevalent? It becomes something that almost everyone experiences at least second hand. True enough, with roughly twenty-three and a half million Americans addicted to drugs and alcohol, odds are most people are going to come across a user at some point in their lives. Roughly half of the US population had an interaction with a drug or alcohol addict in 2016. Approximately one out of every five Americans are currently connected in some way to a drug or alcohol addict. About one out of every six Americans are in some way related to familial bonds to an addict. Also, one out of every eight Americans is closely linked to an addict within their immediate family (mother, father, siblings, or children).
Now more than ever this is a problem that needs to be addressed. Drug and alcohol addiction and substance abuse issues create severe problems that need resolving. What to do about it? A lot of people are asking that very question.
Should I Tell My Kids About Family Addiction History?
Parents struggle with this decision, and many of them have trouble reaching a conclusion on how to approach the issue. They have kids. Their children are growing up and will be adults soon. Right now their kids, being in their teens or early twenties, are in the most at-risk age group for substance abuse. Even more so with an addicted family member or a family addiction history.
So, what do you say to your kids? Honesty is the best policy. You need to time this conversation and have it soon. Most people believe you should tell your kids about any addictions that had once occurred in the family. All in all, this will give your child some insight, and put things into perspective for them.
Helping Kids Understand the Dangers of Substance Abuse
The number one reason why young adults abuse drugs and alcohol is because of peer pressure. Also, a lack of understanding about the harmful effects of drug and alcohol use and abuse plays a role.
As a final note on this, while it is not a driving factor, addiction can be hereditary. For this reason, if addiction did occur in the family, it’s better that your kids know about it and can understand it than to leave them in the dark knowing that they are possibly at risk themselves. Family addiction history can be a learning tool for parents to use when educating their kids about drugs.
