If we knew the consequences of overlooking addiction—and the destruction to individuals, families, businesses, our communities and economy—we might think twice, three times or four times about ignoring it.
Indeed, if we really understood how much better our world could be, we might dedicate massive resources to eliminating this social ill.
To provide insight into what our world would be like without drug and alcohol addiction, I’ve been researching its impact on many aspects of our current world. How would children benefit? Families? Individuals of any age? Would our businesses prosper more?
This article looks at the effects of addiction on families.
What is Addiction?
A person is addicted when they lose control of their use of an intoxicating, mind-altering substance. They continue consuming that substance even though it is harming their life. They may have lost a job, their children, families, health or homes. But still, they continue drinking, smoking, injecting or whatever.
The other defining characteristic of addiction is that the person will go through withdrawal if they cease using that substance.
A person out of control of their drug or alcohol use impairs their own ability to look after their family. While there are a few functional alcoholics and addicted people, once most people are addicted, they are driven by their need for more drugs or alcohol. Gradually, this need supersedes their ability to properly care for children and a spouse or even themselves.
First, how many people are affected by addiction to drugs or alcohol?
Alcohol: more than 14 million people struggle with addiction to alcohol.
Drugs: more than eight million people suffer from a drug use disorder each year.
That means there are many millions of households affected by addiction. And 8.7 million children live in a household with a parent who is addicted to alcohol or drugs.