As a parent, you naturally want what is best for your children. Part of this is being present in both mind and body so that your children grow up to be happy and productive members of society. Unfortunately for some parents, the draw of drugs and alcohol can get in the way of their good parenting, and their children can suffer. Banyan’s Treatment Center Palm Springs is explaining the importance of getting sober for your kids and how we can help you do just that.
Why Getting Sober for Your Children Is Important
As a Palm Springs rehab, we know that addiction affects more than just the person living with it. The impact of parental addiction on child development can be drastic, with increased rates of depression, oppositional behavior, anxiety, aggressive behavior, and difficulty socializing with their peers.1 These consequences may follow that child for the rest of their life. If you are struggling with a substance abuse problem, maybe it is time you start thinking about getting sober for your kids.
Broken Trust
One of the biggest problems for addicted parents’ relationships with their children is broken trust. When a substance abuse problem is present, the concept of trust may go out the window. With broken promise after broken promise, a child’s faith in one or both of their parents may become weak or diminish altogether. If let alone for too long, this broken trust may never mend.
Parents are also supposed to be the two people in the world that children can count on the most. When children cannot even trust a parent, it may impact their other relationships. Some children of addicts may struggle to trust others at all, even long into adulthood.
Poor Self-Worth
Many addicts can become so consumed with their addiction that it takes over their life. They begin to prioritize it over everything else, including their children. When a parent continuously chooses drugs or alcohol over them, many children can develop low self-worth. They may think if one or both of their own parents does not value them, why should they value themselves? Low self-esteem in children can also lead to psychological and social problems.2 Getting sober for your kids now at our California detox center could help improve their self-worth and help them avoid these problems later on.
Financial Insecurity
Addictions can be expensive. Not only are they an unnecessary drain on your bank account, but they could also be taking away from more necessary purchases. If all your money is going toward drugs or alcohol, it may be causing your family some financial trouble. While you may be the one who must worry about paying the bills, this financial strain could also be hurting your children. Your children may be missing out on worthwhile experiences or even, in the worst cases, going hungry because of your addiction.
Follow in Your Footsteps
It is no surprise that children learn a lot from what they know from their parents. This knowledge extends beyond facts and figures to include basic behaviors and habits. Your children look up to you. They are likely to consciously and even subconsciously follow in your footsteps in some ways. If the example you are setting for your children includes substance abuse, your children may be more likely to follow the same path. Instead, set a good example by entering a residential addiction treatment program and showing your children that it is okay to ask for help and you can overcome addiction.
Learn How to Get Sober With Banyan
If you are a parent who has a substance abuse disorder, it is time to get sober for your children. At Banyan Palm Springs, we will help you through every step of the process and help you prepare for life outside of treatment and back with your loved ones. Our Southern California rehab also offers an excellent family program that can help the children of addicts come to terms with their own feelings regarding the situation at hand.
We wish to promote healing - not just in our patients but in their relationships with their loved ones, as well. We believe that with patience, dedication, and the right amount of conviction, parents with addiction are capable of incredible things. We are here to help them realize this for themselves.
To get more information on how to get started and the effective programs and therapies that we offer, call us today at 888-280-4763.
Sources:
- NIH – Understanding the Diverse Needs of Children whose Parents Abuse Substances
- BioPsychoSocial Medicine – Importance and usefulness of evaluating self-esteem in children
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