How Do Opioids Affect Families

Opioids/ drugs can affect your family in many ways, even though the person who’s taking the drug is trying to find a way to escape whatever mental health or past trauma they encountered in their life. Drug use can lead to increased conflict, tension, and emotional distress within the family. Family members may experience feelings of betrayal, anger, guilt, and sadness as they witness their loved one's struggle with addiction. Substance abuse can place a significant financial burden on families due to the cost of drugs, medical treatment, legal fees, and loss of income. This can lead to financial instability and hardship for the entire family. Drug use can also destroy trust and communication within families, leading to strained relationships …show more content…
Children who grow up in households affected by opioid misuse and opioid use disorder (OUD) are at increased risk of experiencing various adverse consequences, children that grow up in households with parents that take opioid drugs experience higher rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues due to the stress, instability, and trauma associated with living with a family member who has OUD. Higher likelihood of drug use Exposes to the drug use and addiction within the family can normalize substance abuse behaviors, making children and adolescents more susceptible to experimenting with drugs themselves and developing substance use disorders later in life. Accidental opioid poisoning Children living in homes where opioids are present may accidentally ingest these medications, leading to unintentional poisoning or overdose, which can be life-threatening. Increased risk of developing a substance use disorder is when a child grows up in an environment where substance abuse is prevalent, which can significantly increase the risk of children and adolescents developing their own substance use disorders, including opioid