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Kinship Care
Kinship Care & Substance Abuse
Substance abuse is one of the most significant problems facing families today. Children of substance abusing parents and kinship caregivers experience various complex issues. It can be emotionally, physically and economically draining. The children may feel the effects through physical abuse, birth defects and learning disabilities. Kinship caregivers may feel the effects financially, emotionally and socially.
Impact of Substance Abuse on the User
Physical - dependency, withdrawal syndrome, poor nutrition, neglected health care, overdose, heart attacks, lung disease, pancreatitis, cellutitis, STDs, HIV/AIDS, death.
Social - financial problems, unemployment, family problems, interpersonal problems, loss of purpose and direction, social isolation, legal problems, loss of support systems, homelessness, antisocial lifestyle.
Emotional/Psychological - altered state of mind, establishment of an erroneous beliefs around the advantages of drug use, grandiosity, loss of control, and out of control behaviors, overwhelming feelings of guilt and shame, changes in cognitive functioning, confusion, anger/rage, depression, despair, suicidal ideation, threats or attempts.
Spiritual - loss of values and morals, loss of faith, self-hate, hopelessness, and despair
Impact of Substance Abuse on Families
- Lack of clearly defined roles - the parent / child;
- Lack of structure and chaos;
- Constant sense of uncertainty - state of crisis and instability;
- Emotional and Physical Neglect;
- Poverty and Financial Instability;
- Separation and Abandonment;
- Destructive interpersonal relationships;
- Physical and Emotional Abuse
- Distrustful and Fatalistic View of the World;
- Poor problem solving skills practice and learned;
- Disregard for others feelings and rights;
- Dangerous and unsafe environments and events; and
- Overwhelming feelings of shame and guilt
- Disregard for others feelings and rights;
Kinship families need basic information to help make sense of and cope with substance abuse in their family. Visit the following web sites for more information on substance abuse.
- CWLA's Behavioral Health Division - Alcohol and Other Drugs www.cwla.org/programs/bhd/aod.htm.
- Children of Alcoholics Foundations, section on Kinship Care & Substance Abuse, www.coaf.org.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, www.health.org.
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