How Does Substance Abuse Cause Changes In the Family?

• Aggression - Research shows that substance abuse is not a risk factor for many factors in and of it self; however, substance abuse can strength other risk factors. Where there is a risk for violence and child abuse, substance abuse can increase the risk by causing loss of control, decreased inhibitions, and impaired judgment memory and attention.
• Abusers often neglect children, both with regards to physical needs, as well as emotional and cognitive needs. Research has shown that children with heroin addicted parents show the same pattern of cognitive delays
• Substance abusers are often more prone to engage in conflict, to be emotionally abusive mood.
• Substances alter moods, and can result in increased depression, anxiety, and paranoia. This is relevant not only to the abuser, but also the partner. Research shows that the partner of the abuser is often at the greatest risk for psychopathology.
• Sleep/wake patterns, eating patterns, and personality characteristics can all change when abusing substances. Imagine having two parents; the sober dad who is verbally abusive, and the drunken dad who is emotionally expressive and loving.
• Taken from http://www.psychpage.com/family/library/familysubstanceabuse.htm

So basically, what it is saying is that substance abuse alters a person. Aggression is shown more often and this can affect a family because the substance may cause the user to lose control and have impaired judgment. Which means that they are more likely to do something that they wouldn't normally do when they are sober. They are also more likely to be in an emotionally abusive mood, which can also put the family at risk if they anger the user in some way. When someone is abusing a substance, they are usually not aware of what is going on and they probably don't realize how their actions can hurt another person, but as the facts have pointed out, it does in fact cause conflicts for more than just the person abusing a substance