When a parent or guardian suffers from substance abuse or other addiction, it can bring up a lot of unsettling emotions. Children may feel financial and emotional responsibility for the parent or other siblings when their parent is unavailable. Dealing with parental addiction is never something a child should handle alone. Children, teens, and even young adults should develop coping skills that help them remain emotionally stable during addiction. 

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.

Find Another Supportive Adult

Young children should never have to navigate the world without a parent, but when someone struggles with alcohol or drugs, they can be distant, even though physically present. School-age children or teens can benefit from the help of another adult who understands their situation of parental addiction. If your parent or guardian is struggling to get help, it can be helpful to talk with a teacher, a church leader, a family friend, or a parent of a friend. A supportive adult will be able to help check on you and may even help your parent get further professional help.

Find Supportive Friends Or Peers

Talking to an adult can feel scary, especially when a child is in their teen years. Having a supportive group of friends at school, an extracurricular activity like sports or a chess club, can help teens navigate complex emotions. Feeling included is necessary for all children, but especially those with one absent parent. Joining a club or after-school activity can also help keep children away when parents may be angry or actively using. This helps make the separation of parent and addict much easier as an adult.

Journal About Your Feelings

When no one is available to talk to, it can be helpful to write down how you are feeling about parental addiction. Journaling can be a healthy way to let out frustrations, keep track of ideas, and write down reminders. Journaling is a great skill to learn while children are young because it can be used into adulthood. Writing down thoughts is an easy way to avoid outbursts and taking out your frustrations on others. A child could also use a journal to help communicate with adults more effectively. Some emotions or situations may feel scary to communicate out loud, so writing an encounter on paper might be more approachable. 

Talk To Your Parent Or Guardian About Getting Help

When a child or teen communicates their frustrations to their parents, it could push them to get the help required for addiction. Parental addiction is a complex thing that often causes stress on a spouse, child, and the user. When children are being negatively affected by parental addiction, speaking with the parent about how it impacts their daily life can be a dose of reality. 

Approach the situation with confidence and remain calm. Tell your parent how their drinking, substance abuse, or unavailability impacts your daily life. If another parent is around, ask them to assist you so you can clearly tell your addicted parent how you feel. Use statements like “I feel” or “I struggle when” instead of placing blame on your parent. If possible, it may help to have your therapist as a mediator or another adult to guide you through the conversation. 

Separate Your Parent From The Addiction

As time passes, or if a parent doesn’t seek help for their addiction, the hurt they may cause could damage the relationship with their children. In order to cope with a parent having an addiction, adult children will need to work to separate the parent from the addiction. This means looking at their parent as a person, with feelings, flaws, and good intentions, rather than an addict. Looking at the good your parent did or just acknowledging that they got in too deep can help you see them as a person with struggles, rather than just a bad mom/dad. 

This is not an easy process and will require self-reflection and possibly therapy. Addiction is not something that you overcome in one day, and it is not the child’s fault. Realizing the addictive nature of substances and the stresses of life can help you have more sympathy for an addicted parent. This does not mean making excuses or forgetting the hurt you may have experienced.

Resources For Helping A Young Child With An Addicted Parent

As a teacher, therapist, church leader, healthcare provider, or family friend, you can play a role in helping a child when a parent suffers from addiction. While you can offer support without getting involved, there are some indicators when you should step in to protect the child.

There are many resources available on how to discuss addiction with young children, how to report abuse or neglect, or how to work with sensitive subject matter without a formal education. The biggest thing to remember when helping children with parental addiction is to remind them that it is not their fault. Some resources include:

• Children Impacted by Addiction: A Toolkit For Educators
• American Addiction Centers articles and physical locations
• National Association for Children of Addiction training and programs
• Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: A Resource Guide
• Sesame Workshop videos, courses, and webinars

Addiction Recovery From Red Willow

Red Willow Counseling and Recovery offers counseling and group sessions for those who struggle with addiction and substance abuse. Our team is here to help you navigate complex emotions and improve your life going forward. No matter what you struggle with, our counselors and specialists can help bring more light to your life. Reach out to us to schedule a consultation or appointment today. 

New research has shown that addiction rates in young adults are increasing. Substance abuse and addiction that start at a young age can have lifelong consequences. Looking at the statistics of addiction and understanding risk factors can help you avoid addiction or help a loved one who is struggling. While drug and alcohol rates in teens and young adults vary from year to year, recent data have shown it is a persistent problem. Let’s take a look at the numbers and how this will impact the future of society. 

Current Statistics For Young Adults

While new studies have not been conducted or released for the most current year, we do have statistics over the past several years, including 2023. Here are some striking statistics that show how addiction rates in young adults are increasing:

• 1 in 11 young adults is a heavy drinker, drinking 5 or more days in the past month
• 1 in 17 young adults has a marijuana use disorder
• 15% of high school students reported having used illicit or injection drugs
• 9.6% of eighth graders and 21% of 12th graders reported vaping nicotine in the past 12 months
• 27.2% of young adults between 19-30 reported binge drinking in the past 30 days
• The National Institute on Drug Abuse also reports that young adults are the biggest abusers of prescription opioids, ADHD stimulants, and anti-anxiety drugs

While all of these statistics are concerning, there is often a lack of treatment for specialized addiction for young adults. As addiction and substance abuse rates continue to rise, there are often not enough resources to help young adults who are struggling. Addiction also puts individuals at risk of other diseases and risky behaviors, which can deplete more societal resources and cause injury to others around them. This is why limiting access to harmful substances and providing resources to those turning toward addiction is crucial for a healthier future.

Risk Factors For Addiction Or Substance Abuse

Some individuals are at a higher risk for addiction, especially when they are not taught about the risks of substances. Those with these risk factors in their life are more likely to use alcohol, nicotine, and other injection drugs.

Some common risk factors to take into consideration include:

• Family history of substance use
• Poor parental monitoring
• Lack of school resources
• Childhood sex abuse
• Mental health issues
• Family rejection
• Substance-using peers
• Low academic achievement
• Unavailable parents
• Those who have participated in risky behaviors before

How To Prevent Addiction

Since addiction is a severely undertreated condition, it can be hard to find quality treatment centers or hospitals that are able to provide help to those struggling with substance abuse. Young adults often don’t seek treatment either, which can make the consequences of addiction remain for many years. 

It can be extremely difficult to protect young adults from peer pressure and social expectations when they transition to college or the workforce. It is important for families to discuss the risks of excessive alcohol use and substance abuse when their children are young. Bringing up the topic frequently can help teens and young adults avoid them in the future. 

Schools can also help implement harm reduction seminars and prevention programs to limit substance abuse. This should start in young children as well as high school students. Colleges can also implement easily accessible resources to help students cope with addiction or deal with the stress of higher education in a healthier way. College is a difficult time in a young adult’s life, and changing jobs or moving away from home can cause us to deal with immense stress. Finding healthy coping strategies or joining support groups is the best way to avoid addiction.

Parents, guardians, roommates, or other family members should also help someone they care about develop more self-confidence. Confidence and aspirations for the future can help limit the risk of addiction or excessive use. Criticizing the actions rather than the person will help them see that they can do better for themselves going forward. 

Resources From Red Willow Counseling And Recovery

Those struggling with addiction deserve to get help. While resources may be limited for young adults, Red Willow Counseling and Recovery is working to provide more support for those in our communities. We offer outpatient treatment, talk therapy, and addiction recovery options that will put you or your loved one back on track. It is extremely difficult to overcome addiction on your own, so having a team of people supporting you is essential to better health. 

Our team encourages healthy outlets, talking about your struggles, and learning from others on how addiction can impact your life. Although addiction rates in young adults are increasing, there is hope. We offer individual and group sessions that can help you change your perspective on drug and alcohol use. Call our Salt Lake or Park City locations to get started today. 

As allergy season ramps up, you may need medications to limit congestion, runny noses, coughs, or itchy eyes. If you are sober, finding effective medication for your allergies that doesn’t trigger your addiction can be difficult. Specific ingredients can be extremely addictive and problematic for individuals who are working hard to stay sober. Knowing allergy alternatives can help you mitigate symptoms without sacrificing your sobriety. Here are some ingredients you should look out for and how you can find safe allergy medications.

The Risks Of Allergy Medications In Sobriety

Some ingredients can lead to habit-forming tendencies in individuals who have struggled with addictions before. These ingredients in medications are known to cause impairments and mimic intoxication. Some main concerns for sober individuals are discussed below.

Medications With Stimulants

Many decongestants will act as a stimulant, which is a common ingredient in allergy medications. Sudafed and other decongestants may increase your heart rate and cause a jittery feeling. Stimulants can be problematic because they can cause many health concerns and make people feel extremely anxious. Those who have had problems with stimulants in the past are more likely to be impulsive and misuse different drugs. Taking an allergy medication with stimulants could set you back on your sober journey.

Alcohol In Liquid Medicines

Liquid allergy medications include alcohol to help dissolve other ingredients. Alcohol can also help preserve the medication to stop the production of bacteria or microorganisms, making the medication effective for longer. However, those who have had alcohol addiction can be triggered by even a small amount of alcohol in medications. For those in recovery, avoiding even just a sip of alcohol is often necessary to continue your sober journey, so looking into alcohol free allergy medications is necessary.

Codeine And Opioid-Based Products

It is not common for allergy treatments to include codeine, but some prescribed options can include opioid-based ingredients. Opioids are very addictive and should be avoided by those in recovery. If your doctor knows about your recovery, they will not prescribe you an allergy medication with codeine or other opioids.

How To Choose Safe Allergy Medications

There are safe allergy medications on the market for those who are dedicated to sobriety. Finding these safe allergy medications will help you treat your symptoms without impaired brain function or craving addictive substances.

There are nasal sprays and antihistamines that don’t include sedatives or addictive substances. Finding these options will help you feel healthy during allergy season without setting you back on your sobriety. Some of these allergy medications also come with negative side effects that make you feel even worse than before. Finding more natural remedies can aid in your health and sobriety.

Natural Remedies For Allergies

If you are nervous about choosing the right allergy medication, there are natural remedies or lifestyle changes that can limit the number of allergy symptoms you experience. 

An effective method for limiting allergies is to switch out your air filters. HEPA filters can trap even small allergens that float around your HVAC system. Changing out clogged air filters will trap dust and allergens that cause congestion, itchy eyes, and more. Air filters that are clear of old debris will be able to stop allergens from circulating around your home for months. 

Some food types have natural antihistamines that help reduce your feelings of congestion, sleepiness, or headaches. Eating apples or onions can reduce your allergy symptoms without the need for medication. 

Talk To Your Doctor Or Pharmacist

Speaking to your doctors about your symptoms and the concerns you have about sobriety is the best way to find appropriate allergy medication. Letting them know about your previous struggles with addiction and your potential triggers will help them determine better medication options. Sharing your recovery journey with medical providers will help you remain safe and healthy while dealing with allergies.

Doctors may also be able to discuss holistic treatments with you to limit allergy symptoms. Non-medical alternatives are often best for patients who deal with addictive tendencies.

Addiction Help From Red Willow

Red Willow Counseling and Recovery is here to help you on your sober journey with different resources and inpatient treatment. Our team is dedicated to providing you with support during your recovery and as you navigate life without addiction. No matter what kind of addiction you have struggled with or are struggling with, our team understands. Red Willow is proud to provide help to those in Utah who experience addiction or substance abuse.