Family Dynamics

Effects of Drug Addiction on Family Dynamics

Introduction

Family is a basic and most crucial unit in the society. As a unit, it has a structure, roles, and a distinct way of communication among other factors that make up the family dynamics. Family dynamics is concerned with how parents, children, grandparents, and close relatives interact. According to Barnard (2005, p. 2), the effect of drug addiction on family dynamics is immense. The author references earlier research studies, which reported that drug addiction disrupted family relationships. Parents who abuse drugs neglect their roles often, and they increase the likelihood of their children developing drug problems. The family dynamics in a family with a drug problem is unhealthy. The

According to Barnard (2005, p. 2), when the family discovers a family member’s drug problem, it is thrown into disarray trying to figure out what went wrong. The family attempts to help the member overcome the drug addiction, but if he or she cannot recover, it becomes a source of distress. The family member addicted to drugs blames himself/herself for the conflict in the family, while the other members often doubt themselves thinking that they drove him or her to addiction. Sharma (2016, p. 807) posits that parents often feel an overwhelming sense of failure when a child is addicted to drugs. Parents do all they can to protect the child. They try to hide it from the extended family, neighbors, and friends until they cannot keep it to

For instance, often there is a ‘lost child’ of the family who takes up after the parents. The lost child might not be necessarily addicted to drugs, but the parental drug addiction takes a toll on him or her. The child will often get in trouble because he/she lacks parental guidance. The popular TV show ‘Shameless’ portrays a dysfunctional family whereby both parents are addicted to drugs, and as much as the eldest child steps in, all the children continuously find themselves in trouble because of lack of parental guidance and love. Other family members take other roles such as the enabler, the scapegoat, and the mascot to navigate the challenges caused by drug addiction (Turner & West, 2012, p.76). On the other hand, when a child is addicted to drugs, the family dynamics also change. According to Sharma (2016, p.807), family conflict increases when a child is addicted to drugs as parents blame each other. When a daughter is addicted to drugs, the mother can be accused of setting a bad example, and the same applies to the father when a son is addicted to