How to Explain Drug Addiction to a Child

Having a parent with a substance use disorder can be one of the most difficult challenges for a child to navigate. It can be confusing, embarrassing, and downright painful. What is crucial is being able to help them understand exactly what is happening. Better Addiction Care describes how to explain drug addiction to a child and what steps can be taken to support them.

Age Matters

The impact of parental addiction on child development may not be apparent until later in their life, but that doesn’t mean the necessary steps shouldn’t be taken. Additionally, how you explain the scenario to the child should depend on their age and where they are developmentally at the time the addiction presents itself. Kids are incredibly perceptive, especially to those who are tasked with caring for them. Even if they don’t fully understand what is happening, when something is wrong, pretending that it isn’t can cause more harm than good.  

Keeping the conversation age appropriate is crucial. For example, if a child is younger than 10, it is important to consider that they are viewing the world differently. A me-centered perspective is the norm and can lead the child to blame themself for their parent’s addiction. Reassure them that this is not the case, that their parent loves them, but that they have a disease and are looking to get better.

For tweens, provide them with the facts about the addiction. Many can have the urge to piece together what is happening and come up with their own conclusions. To keep this from happening, be willing to answer any of their questions as honestly as you can. Most importantly, no matter what age the child is, approach this difficult conversation with empathy, patience, and compassion.

Knowledge Is Power

Unfortunately, addicted parents and child neglect often go hand in hand. The most important step is ensuring the child is in a safe environment above all else. Helping kids to understand that addiction is not a choice but rather a disease is an important piece of truth that must be emphasized. At the end of the day, the choice to do a drug is at will, but addiction itself runs so deep for each person afflicted, and often for reasons unique to each individual. That being said, it is never the responsibility of the child to navigate that reasoning. 

Parents are supposed to be there to care for their children, and when that can’t happen for whatever reason, it can have a devastating effect. Sometimes, addicted parents will even attempt to fulfill this role when they are not in an appropriate state of mind to do so. An example of this could be a parent showing up to a school function while under the influence. It is an extremely embarrassing, confusing, and isolating experience, one that can make a kid feel like they need to grow up faster. Many adopt this role only to learn how to prevent more of these negative feelings.

Understanding is a powerful thing. Giving children the facts in an age-appropriate way can make a difference in their ability to process what is happening. Some good talking points to keep in mind include:

• Their parent is not necessarily a bad person but rather has a disease that causes them to make bad choices.
• It is not their fault.
• It is ok to talk about what they are struggling with, and they don’t need to feel ashamed or embarrassed to do so. 

Resources at Better Addiction Care

For children who are affected by their parent’s disease, Better Addiction Care offers excellent family rehab programs designed to give them the support they need. We provide a variety of services designed to handle every aspect of addiction and get all involved on the path to recovery and healing. For those in the midst of multiple dependencies or mental illnesses, dual diagnosis programs are available to manage each thing that a person is struggling with. 

Speak to a specialist at Better Addiction Care by calling 800-429-7690, and learn about how we can help you down the road to recovery.

Related Readings: 

Can the Children of Addicts Tell When Parents Are Using?

How to Deal With an Alcoholic Parent