The most common misconception associated with alcohol is that their alcohol consumption is not affecting anyone. Alcohol takes especially toll on children and adversely affect their physical and mental development.
Growing up in an alcoholic environment offers the child negative experiences. Children who are grown under the supervision of alcoholic parents are more vulnerable to behavioral problems. Alcohol consumption makes kids feel emotionally insecure.
This article discusses the impact of alcoholic parents on children. It presents ways to protect the child from the adverse effects of alcoholic parents.
What is Alcoholism?
It is the most severe form of alcohol abuse and the people with alcoholism suffer from the inability to control alcohol use. It is also referred to as alcohol use disorder. This disorder is classified into three categories: mild, moderate, and severe. Each of the categories offers a broad range of side effects. If this abuse is left untreated, it can become uncontrolled.
People with this type of disorder often think that they cannot function normally without alcohol. This damages their personal and professional life. They lack in taking the proper decisions. Proper diagnosis and treatment is required at the right time to avoid any damaging effects.
Effects of Alcoholic Parent on Child Development:
Alcoholism affects the entire family. Statistics (R) show that more than 28 million Americans are children of alcoholics.
Here are a few effects of parental alcohol misuse on child development:
1. Retards the Performance of Children:
Children of alcoholic parents struggle more in the school environment. Children of alcoholics exhibit very poor performance in studies and may end up as school dropouts. These children are at risk of being suspended from school.
These children most commonly exhibit rude and abnormal behaviors. These children have very poor learning, and reasoning skills. These children are hard to make friends. They have low levels of self-motivation, self-confidence and self-esteem which play a prominent role in academics.
2. Children Often Feel Insecure:
Children of alcoholic parents often feel their security at home. They always seem depressed. These children are less likely to be cared for and motivated by their parents which completely damages their self-security.
3. Psychological Effects:
Children who grow in alcoholic environments often encounter many psychological effects. Children of alcoholic parents often develop maladaptive beliefs which in turn damages the mental well being.
These children are more likely to exhibit the symptoms of anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social dysfunction, Posttraumatic stress disorder (PSD), trauma, neglect, or abuse.
4. Risks in Adulthood:
Children raised by alcoholic parents are at the risk of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral problems in the later stages of their adulthood. These children are at the risk of being addicted to drugs and alcohol.
You may also read the effects of alcohol in Teenagers
5. Depression:
Depression is the impact of alcoholic parents on a child. Children who are grown up by alcoholic parents often developmental conditions such as depression. Neglect of the parents and instability are the root causes of depression. Depression can lead to extreme levels of anxiety and suicidal thoughts.
6. Birth Defects:
If a mother consumes alcohol while pregnant, their babies are at the risk of mental and physical defects at birth. The most severe consumption of alcohol leads to fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). This condition causes physical defects in newborn babies. Kids with FAS are at the risk of vision and hearing difficulties.
This disorder is associated with brain dysfunction and memory issues. Children with FAS disorder often exhibit poor coordination, hyperactivity, emotional imbalances, and rapid mood changes.
7. Lack of Communication:
Children of alcoholic parents often encounter less or no communication with the parents at home. These children are reluctant to communicate with friends at school or during playtime. Children of alcoholic parents receive no attention, love, and affection from their parents.
8. Emotional Confusion:
Children of alcoholic parents may experience negative emotions such as rejection, loneliness. These children often fail to express and balance their emotions.
9. Affects Relationships:
Children with an alcoholic parents are less likely to form healthy relationships. Alcoholism breaks the family bonds and makes the children feel isolated. These children often make insecure attachment patterns with their friends, and family members.
10. Biological Impacts:
The adults who consume alcohol develop negative biological impacts which eventually passed down to the later generations.
Alcohol consumption damages the proper functioning of the brain.
It changes the response of the body to various situations.
It changes the individual genes which will be passed to the next generations and creates many disorders in the newborn.
11. Trust Issues:
Children of alcoholics experience trust issues at the early stages. These trust issues develop from the lack of attachment and affection with their parents.
12. Parental Neglect:
It is one of the most common effects that the children of alcoholic parents usually experience. Parents who are drunk often forget the events at their child’s school and these parents may forget to pick up a child from the school or drop at the school. This makes the child behave abnormal ways seeking the attention of their parents.
13. Abandonment:
Children growing in environments where they are away from their parents physically and emotionally may develop abnormal behaviors with the fear of being left alone or abandoned.
14. Kills the Desire to Succeed:
Children of parents who are addicted to alcohol are often yelled at. This makes them lose their confidence and feel discouraged. This roots deeply into the emotions of the child and makes the passive to make and achieve goals.
15. Substance Abuse Issues:
It is common for the children of alcoholic parents to develop substance abuse in adulthood. Some children may even develop these issues right from the childhood. This is because of their growing environment which is surrounded by alcohol bottles, and drugs.
In conclusion, a child with an alcoholic parents is at the risk of being abused physically, emotionally, and sexually. Save your child from the effects of emotional neglect by offering them alcohol-free healthy home environment.
