Help for Mothers Who Struggle with Addiction

Addiction does not discriminate. It doesn’t matter what a person’s background, race, or religion is. In today’s society, where drugs and alcohol are so prevalent, anyone can fall into addiction. Alcohol is socially accepted in most places. Weekend drinking, or a drink to unwind after work, can lead to addiction. Prescription painkillers to ease the pain while recovering from an injury or operation have too often led people down the path of addiction.

Those who have never had to deal with addiction themselves or with a loved one who is addicted are lucky. Some people who haven’t experienced it personally are quick to judge others who have become addicted. When that judgment turns vitriolic and vocal, it’s harmful. It’s harmful because rather than finding help for people who are addicted, it fans the flames of the stigma of addiction. Unfortunately, mothers who have become addicted can sometimes be a target for vilification.

While each one of us is responsible for our own lives and the conditions we find ourselves in, it’s unfair to judge another person since we don’t know their story and what events in life led them to where they are.

Instead of judging and spreading criticisms about mothers who are addicted, treating them with compassion and encouraging them to seek treatment is more helpful not only for the individual but also for their children and society as a whole.

Most women who seek help for drug or alcohol addiction are of childbearing age, and many of them are mothers. Inevitably, the children of addicted mothers will experience negative effects as a result of their mother’s addiction. Grandparents or other family members often have to step in to pick up the mother hat because, sadly, keeping the addiction going too often takes priority. If there are no other family members around to step in and intervene on the children’s behalf, neglect can also occur. One Narconon graduate shared her experience being an addicted mother: “When I got married in 2005, my addiction began to increase rapidly. I began spending less and less time with my children. Not only was I not around to take care of them, but I had put that responsibility on my mom and sisters.”

Given the impact of mothers on their children’s lives, it’s important that mothers get help to get their lives back from addiction, not only for their own sake but for the future of their children.

As a society, we need to prioritize helping addicted mothers and women of childbearing age get treatment. Through effective rehabilitation, mothers can get their lives back from drug or alcohol addiction, and their children will get their mothers back. Mothers play a crucial role in raising their children. Mothers who overcome and beat their addiction have shown they have the power of resiliency—a lesson they will pass on to their children, who can become stronger, more resilient adults. The family unit is still the basic building block of society. By helping addicted mothers, we are helping our communities and building a better future for all.

Source:

• Villegas N A, Chodhury S M, B. Mitrani V, Guerra J. Mothers in Substance Abuse Recovery: Perspectives on Motivators, Challenges and Family Involvement. Int J High Risk Behav Addict. 2017;6(1):e32558. https://doi.org/10.5812/ijhrba.32558