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Breaking the Cycle of Drug and Alcohol Addiction

Childhood can and should be a time of wonder and discovery, when parents nurture, protect, and care for the precious gifts of life they have brought into the world. But for children of alcoholic parents, life often is filled with shame, suffering, and fear. These children may find themselves trapped by the same disease that affected their parents and grandparents unless there is outside intervention from caring adults in their lives.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, children of alcohol-addicted parents can suffer from physical illness and injury, emotional disturbances, educational deficits, behavior problems, and alcoholism or alcohol abuse later in life. Perhaps most troubling, however, is the fact that children of alcoholics (COAs) are two to four times more likely to become problem drinkers and continue the addictive practices of their parents with similar devastating consequences.

SAMHSA Administrator Charles G. Curie urges every adult to learn about the needs of COAs and the simple actions they can take to help COAs develop into healthy adults. "We know that COAs are at greater risk for substance abuse problems in their own lives. But we also know what to do to help them avoid repeating their families? problems. We can break the generational cycle of alcoholism in families."

That's good news for the millions of children in the United States who live in households in which one or both parents have been actively alcohol dependent in the past. Experts say COAs can be helped, whether or not the alcohol- abusing adults in their families receive treatment. Adult relatives, older siblings, and other adults who have contact with COAs at school, in the community, through faith-based organizations, and through health and social services agencies do not need formal training or special skills to be caring and supportive.

To help a child of an alcoholic, one must take that first step--show care for a child with an alcoholic parent. Since research shows that one in four children lives in a family with alcoholism or alcohol abuse, many adults will not have to look far to find a child to help.

Curie said, "Perhaps the best way adults can help COAs is to provide them with accurate information about alcoholism to help them develop the skills needed to cope with their day-to-day challenges." He added, "Accurate information helps COAs understand that alcoholism is a disease that has nothing to do with them--they are not to blame for the disruptions and other problems happening at home. It clarifies and validates their reality and shows them the choices they can make to be safe and healthy."

According to the National Association for Children of Alcoholics, the life skills that COAs need often are learned outside the family and can be gained through educational support groups and healthy relationships with others, especially adults who show they care about the children. By providing these children with experiences in which they have opportunities to succeed, COAs can learn to respect themselves, which in turn helps them cope with their situations.

Almost every community has resources to help make a difference in the lives of COAs. Services such as educational support groups and counseling are widespread across the country. Free publications, including It's Not Your Fault and You Can Help, available from SAMHSA's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, offer important insights and resources for adults who want to help.