The National Association for Children of Alcoholics has designated February 10-16 is Children of Alcoholics Week.
Did you know that more than 28 million Americans are children of alcoholics; nearly 11 million are under the age of 18?
Look at these facts from the NACA:
- Alcoholism and other drug addiction tend to run in families. Studies have shown that children of addicted parents are more at risk for alcoholism and other drug abuse than are other children.
- Families affected by alcoholism report higher levels of conflict than do families with no alcoholism.
- Children of drug addicted parents are at higher risk for placement outside the home. A relationship between parental addiction and child abuse has been documented in a large proportion of child abuse and neglect cases.
- Children of addicted parents exhibit symptoms of depression and anxiety more than do children from non-addicted families.
At Horizon we recognize the needs of all members of a family impacted by alcoholism. Our family recovery center focuses on alcoholics and their families to assist all members of a family in recovery. For more information and to get help for a child you may know, please call us at 716.831.1800.
Here are some more resources for children of alcoholics:
Video: TeenNick Nick News recently ran a special called Under the Influence. This informative 20 minute video is about the different experiences the children of alcoholics have when their parents drink, and the different ways some have found to cope.
Download this brochure about what every child of an alcoholic should know.
Sources:
http://www.nacoa.org/pdfs/addicted.pdf
http://www.nacoa.org/
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