Who Will Care For My Children During Drug Rehab?
One of the most common obstacles for prospective patients who want treatment is “What do I do with my children?” For many individuals, particularly women, the uncertainty of childcare makes a difficult decision even more so. Many parents know they need treatment, but the stigma of being a parent who leaves his/her children for potentially weeks of drug rehab is scary indeed. What will my significant other or family think? What about neighbors and friends? How will my kids react? Will I risk losing my children to social services if I go to treatment? What kind of parent am I if I am not here for my children?
Some drug rehab facilities have child care available, although these facilities are limited in number. More often, drug rehab facilities may have local resources that can assist with childcare, at least during weekday hours. In some cases, one parent can care for the children while the other parent attends drug rehab. Other options include talking to family or close friends. Often those people in our lives that love us are willing and able to help if we only ask. Some families have used local day care facilities for daytime care and friends or relatives have been able to care for the children after work and on weekends. Oftentimes, finding the right childcare, or blend of childcare, involves a lot of creativity, but many patients do manage to successfully complete drug rehab even if they are the primary caretaker for their children.
It is important to remember that although having another person care for your children in the short-term can be stressful, the long-term effects of parenting when you are impaired can cause even more damage. Children are very perceptive and they can often tell if their parent is using even when other adults cannot. Years ago, I had a family therapy session with a mother and her young child who was in foster care. The mother recently completed chemical dependency treatment and we were working towards reintegration of the family. After the family session, the child, who was about 5 years old, was in my office waiting for her foster parents and she commented that her mother had been using. During our family session, I had looked for signs that the mother may have been using and noticed none. Later that afternoon, I received a call from the family’s social worker who told me that the mother had in fact tested positive for methamphetamines. Those people who are closest to you are often the most perceptive regarding your use of substances and even if your use goes unnoticed by casual acquaintances, your children and close family likely are aware of your substance use. In almost every case, one’s parenting ability is negatively affected by substance use.
Although many parents are sure that their substance use does not affect their ability to parent, their children are often very aware of their parent’s substance use. Children can often identify a multitude of ways that their parent is parenting differently when under the influence. Continued use also increases the risk that children will lose a parent to drug related problems (car accidents, falls, incarceration, overdose, etc.). The long term or permanent loss of a parent is much more traumatic than living with friends or family while a parent attends drug rehab.
Learn What Online Drug Education Classes Are All About
An alarming trend is increasingly on the rise, that of addiction among adolescents or young adults. This is a cause of serious worry as it becomes extremely difficult to eliminate substance dependence that begins at young age. Youngsters who are still in their formative years can easily fall prey to the habit of drug or alcohol consumption, owing to various reasons like peer pressure, an impulsive urge to try out new things and sometimes, misguidance from seniors or older people.
The brain of an adolescent is different from that of an adult. This is part of the reason why adolescents are more vulnerable to addiction. The frontal part of the human brain is the part responsible for checking impulsive behavior and sending out warning signals. It is in a sense, the ‘brake mechanism’ of the brain which stops us from performing actions that can be potentially dangerous. Now, in adolescents, this part of the brain is still developing and not yet fully efficient. Simply put, the brake mechanism of an adolescent brain is a little weak and thus, youngsters often act on impulse, not foreseeing the long term effects of their actions. This leads to a high incidence of drug abuse among them, ultimately leading to a point of no return.
Alcohol has been seen to be the most common form of addiction among youngsters. The fact that alcohol is legal and widely available, substantially adds to the problem. But it doesn’t stop there. Once an adolescent has tried out alcohol, he or she begins to move on to different, more dangerous drugs like marijuana, which happens to be the second most widely abused substance after alcohol. From there on to heroin or cocaine etc. which are extremely harmful and nearly impossible to give up.
Shockingly enough, alcoholism among youngsters can start as early as the age of 12 or 13. And as disturbing as it may sound, most often the people responsible for such an onset are the parents. At such a timid age, most young teens obtain their first drink from their very home. Parents therefore need to be extra cautious about keeping alcoholic beverages, even as little as beer, out of the knowledge and reach of children. It’s vital that families share mature conversations regarding such behavior and gain the children’s trust early on, so that they turn to their parents in case of a problem, instead of resorting to alcohol or other harmful measures.
With the advent of internet, sourcing drugs or other addictive substances has become relatively simpler. And if the older child takes to drinking or substance abuse, it is highly probable that the younger sibling too will fall into this vicious trap. Therefore, the role of the parents is to be emphasized once again. If your child is showing signs of anxiety, alteration in school performance like falling grades, frequent violent behavior and withdrawal from the family, the child may be using drugs. Watch out for warning symptoms and act soon. Timely intervention, appropriate medical help and proper counseling may save your child from this evil trap.
Choosing Residential Drug Programs Versus Stay-At-Home Methods
Depending on their current situation, there are many different options people might consider when they need help coping with drug use problems. Some people prefer to stay in their present environment and handle it while living at home through local or online social education classes, meetings in a 12-step program or with outpatient drug addiction treatment. Another option is to go to a residential facility away from home. There are a number of factors that may play into this decision.
Comfort
Some people are comfortable at home in their own room with their own bed and all of their usual surroundings. Many people, however, wish to break the cycle of habit and go somewhere far from home to make changes. This includes having a clean, comfortable bed to rest upon and nutritious meals to eat while they figure things out. This can come in the form of inpatient drug rehabilitation centers or in an alternative non-addiction-treatment program. A retreat center, for example, provides a relaxing and comfortable atmosphere to assist in the difficult process of making personal changes in lifestyle.
Cost
Cost is often a major factor in choosing a residential program versus an at-home or outpatient-type program. Affordability may require financing or having someone to help with the expenses.
Distance
Being away from daily habits, broken relationships and less-than-suitable living arrangements may be factors in giving the drug user the motivation to choose distance over staying at home. Stepping back from the current situation may give the person a more clear perspective on how to make changes.
Pressures
Choosing a residential program gives the individual an opportunity to make some life-changing decisions without the pressures of everyday stresses. These stresses may come in the form of difficult relationships, financial difficulties, cravings or overwhelming responsibilities.
Relationships
When someone has damaged their family relationships due to their behavior, it may be helpful for them to attend a residential retreat facility. This allows time for family members to be away from them and do some healing of their own. A residential facility is also seen as an effort to make life-altering changes. For family members, this may be an encouraging sign of more effort to come.
When making a decision on which type of program to choose, it may be helpful to discuss the issue with a family member or a professional. The individual should be ready to make changes and weigh their options as part of the decision-making process.