moms, kids, drugs

This is a topic that has been haunting me for more than a week now and I was wanting to share it with you. 

Moms who have addictions to alcohol and drugs. 

Working in the Social Service industry has shown me a side of humanity that saddens me. 

People are overwhelmed.

They struggle day in and day out with the simplest of things, and are simultaneously weighed down with the mightiest of things. 

If we consider ourselves to be an 'it takes a village...' people, then allowing moms and families to suffer in silence almost seems like abuse. And unfortunately, my experience has been that because of the pain and turmoil they've been through, they commonly turn away any offered help. They do this because of embarrassment, pride, fear, confusion, culture or any other number of reasons. 

My hands feel tied. I so desperately want to help - love - support - hug - listen - cry with - make laugh these people that have been through so much, but my hands feel so bound. 

And yet my heart is not. 

So I will think on them, pray for them, give them love from afar for now, and right next to them when I can. I will support them as best I can in any given situation that comes my way and I will do more with every opportunity I'm given. 

photo cred sandrina2005

Some information from
http://www.hopenetworks.org/addiction/Children%20of%20Addicts.htm :

Families affected by alcoholism report higher levels of conflict than do families with no alcoholism. Drinking is the primary factor in family disruption. The environment of children of alcoholics has been characterized by lack of parenting, poor home management, and lack of family communication skills, thereby effectively robbing children of alcoholic parents of modeling or training on parenting skills or family effectiveness.

Children of addicted parents exhibit depression and depressive symptoms more frequently than do children from non-addicted families. Children of addicted parents are more likely to have anxiety disorders or to show anxiety symptoms.  Children of addicted parents are at high risk for elevated rates of psychiatric and psychosocial dysfunction, as well as for alcoholism.

Unbelievable amounts of information can be found on the topic of addictions and families everywhere online, at the library, and likely on your 'main street' downtown. If you're interested to learn more, go on the hunt and you'll find it. 

I'm hopeful for a new generation of young people that aren't dragged down into the muck of their parents generation. Making that happen means that the rest of us need to hold our hands out to these moms and their families, no matter how bound we feel. The simplest of efforts goes a long way in the life of another. 

The sentiment will not be lost. And nor will your love. 

hugs

sarah d. 


**Addendum: The 'info' that I've posted in from another website is simply that; information as collected by a certain group of people, in a certain way, that I can neither confirm nor deny has been peer reviewed or tested in any way. This is worthy of note, as stats and general info, as shared above, can be incredibly misleading. I was simply hoping to illustrate that there seems to be a pattern within the households of addicted moms/families, and these are some of what's been noted. 


That said, the issue is not the information, or the statistics, or the lack of peer reviewing, the issue is that people are struggling. Moms are drowning. Kids are suffering. And even in the tiniest ways, we can do something to help here and there, even if it's a happy thought from time to time, or a smile as we pass by.