Dysfunction in Families

“Research shows that a strong family bond is a protective factor for addiction; that is, it decreases the likelihood that someone will abuse drugs. However, some families make children’s drug abuse more likely. It obviously increases risk when there’s abuse, neglect, or violence, or when there’s drug use in the home. In face, one of the greatest risk factors for a child growing up in a family in which one or both parents abuse alcohol or use drugs. If one parent is a heavy drinker, the child’s chances of becoming a heavy drinker increases two or three times. Kids to have seen their parents drunk are five times more likely than kids who haven’t to get drunk one or more times a month.

There are at least 7.5 million children in the United States—10.5 percent of the population—living with an alcoholic parent. This doesn’t take into account kids who live with parents who are addicted to other drugs.”

~David Sheff, Clean: Overcoming Addiction and Ending America’s Greatest Tragedy