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Drug use can hurt the people who take drugs and the people around them. This includes families, children and unborn babies.
Drug Use and Other People
Drugs hurt the person taking them. They also hurt everyone around that person:
- Husbands, wives, partners, boyfriends and girlfriends
- Teens, children, and babies
- Other family members and friends
- People you work with
When you or a loved one uses drugs, life can feel out of control.
Drug Use and Families
When a person uses drugs, it might cause problems at home. Someone who uses drugs can lose control. Here are some examples of problems that drug use might cause:
- Problems at work or school
- Money problems
- Domestic violence (The person can be more likely to hurt their partner.)
- Child abuse (The person can be more likely to hurt children in the home.)
- Arrests and prison time
- Serious health problems and death
Some people who are addicted to drugs don't believe they are unwell. They don't see that they are hurting their family. Other people who are addicted to drugs are aware of the problem, but they might be too scared to get help. All of these problems can become the family's problems too.
Drug use hurts children.
When parents or other family members use drugs, the children can get hurt.
Neglect
People with drug problems can forget to take care of their children:
- There might not be anyone making meals or helping the kids get washed, dressed or dropped off to school.
- There might not be anyone to buy clothes or do the laundry.
- There might not be anyone to take the children to the doctor or to help with homework.
Unsafe Living Conditions
- Drug use can make parents unable to work and earn money.
- They might use up the family's money.
- Children might go without heat, food, electricity or even a place to live.
Physical Danger
When family members with drug problems are at home, it may not be safe for the children:
- Family members with drug problems might not be alert enough to protect kids from accidents or from other adults who would harm them.
- There might be a lot of fighting.
- They might abuse or neglect the children.
- If someone at home is dealing drugs or doing other crimes, it's also dangerous for the kids.
Children might have to leave.
If parents are using drugs, the social services or child welfare agency might take children out of the home to keep them safe and cared for. They might have to live with a family member in another home, or they might have to live with foster parents.
Future Problems
When children grow up with these problems around them, they are more likely to have drug problems of their own.
Drug use hurts unborn babies.
When a woman is pregnant, a baby is growing inside her. If a woman uses drugs or alcohol* when she is pregnant, the drugs can pass to her baby. Mothers' drinking alcohol or using drugs when pregnant is the most common cause of health problems in newborn babies. (*Note: When this article mentions drugs, that includes drugs and alcohol.)
Some drugs can cause the baby to go through withdrawal right after they are born. This means that the drug is in the baby's body and can make the baby unwell. It takes time for the drug to get out of the baby's body. This sickness is called neonatal abstinence syndrome or NAS. You might hear doctors use this term or see it in articles. Some of the drugs that can cause a baby to be born with NAS are
- Alcohol
- Pain medicine (prescription opioids)
- Heroin (illegal opioids)
- Certain drugs for anxiety or sleep, like benzodiazepines
Babies born to mothers who used drugs while pregnant also might
- Be born small
- Have problems eating and sleeping
- Have problems seeing, hearing, and moving
- Be slow to develop
While growing up, the child might
- Have memory problems
- Have trouble paying attention and learning in school
- Need special teachers and schools
- Have trouble getting along with others
- Use or misuse drugs or develop an addiction
Children whose mothers used drugs while they were pregnant sometimes need special medical care all their lives. Some might not be able to live on their own when they grow up.
Programmes can help pregnant women stop using drugs. This can help the baby a lot. If a pregnant woman wants to stop using drugs, it is very important that she gets help from a doctor. If a pregnant woman tries to stop using drugs on her own, it could hurt the baby.
It can be hard for any person with a drug problem to quit, but women in particular might be afraid to get help during or after pregnancy. They might be scared of
- Getting in trouble
- People taking away the baby or their other children
- People judging them
- Not having anyone to watch their other children
There is good treatment available for moms and babies. Pregnant women receiving medical treatment should talk with their doctor about a treatment plan.
Reference:
U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Easy-to-Read Drug Facts. (n.d.). Effects of drugs. Retrieved 15 August 2019 from https://easyread.drugabuse.gov