Children are some of the first people that are impacted by your substance use. They see and have to deal with the consequences of your behavior in active addiction. You may want to seek help but don't know how to since you are a single parent. Next Level Recovery wants to help you get the support and services you need for your child. We can help you with your substance use disorder (SUD). Don't wait; connect with them by emailing consult@nextlevelra.com today.

Substance Use Disorder

SUD is the compulsive and excessive use of legal or illegal drugs. This can include nicotine, alcohol, cannabis, prescription medication, heroin, cocaine, barbiturates, etc. It is considered a mental health disorder and has multiple causes. Environment, culture, economic status, family history, and other mental health conditions can influence substance use.

You can form emotional, physical, and psychological dependence. This can make finding the will to stop difficult, along with wanting to avoid withdrawal symptoms. 

As a single parent, you are responsible for taking care of your child, but having a mental health condition hinders your ability to do your best. The stress of taking care of them alone can encourage you to seek comfort through your substance. You may also feel like you aren't doing your best or are failing your child, so you use the substance to cover up these emotions.

Impact on Children

Even if you think you are doing everything right and they don't see your substance use, your child is more aware of what is happening than you know. There is only so much you can do before your substance use becomes evident in their life. 

They can start having negative emotions toward you and your substance use. These emotions include embarrassment, fear, hatred, anger, shame, and resentment. They can take on the role of being your caregiver without you realizing it. This adds stress and responsibility they may not even be old enough to understand. 

Your child may also feel responsible for your addiction and think they are the cause. This may be because of things you've said or done while using substances you don't remember. It could be that they've heard the stories of how you were before they were born, which was very different. There could be lasting effects from this that continue into adulthood and impact all aspects of their life. 

Possible Scenarios

Possible scenarios that can occur while under the influence that can seriously impact your child include:

• Your 4-year-old starts pretending to be drunk when drinking apple juice because they're emulating you.

• Your 14-year-old is starting to learn about the effects of smoking in high school and realizes the dangers for both of you because of what is in cigarettes. Some even believe that second-hand smoke is worse because there is no filter like when inhaling a cigarette. There are people that believe in third-hand smoke. This is the residue left on your skin, hair, and clothing that others come into contact with when you hug or are near them.

• You may think you are hiding your alcohol dependence, but when you pass out from drinking, it's your 8-year-old child that puts the glass in the sink and covers you in a blanket.

• You lose your job from missing too many shifts or for your behavior when you show up high, so now your 17-year-old child starts skipping school to pick up more shifts to be able to cover the bills.

• You accidentally take more of your substance than normal and start to overdose, but your 10-year-old child finds you and calls 911. You're not breathing, so they are told to start doing compressions until the ambulance gets there.

Decisions to Make as a Single Parent

There are a lot of things that need to be thought out and taken care of before you can start treatment. These decisions can include the following:

• Are they safe with you while you are using substances?

• Would inpatient or outpatient be a better choice to ensure your treatment is successful?

• Can you reach out to someone to take care of your child?

  • Safe family members that you lost touch with because of your substance use

  • Trustworthy and safe friends

  • Foster home, if it comes to that

• How will you cover the things you need to pay for while seeking treatment?

There are people that can help make these difficult decisions and keep everyone in mind to find the best solution.

Finding Help and Getting Support

Reach out to friends, family, or local health professionals. They may be able to look into state programs that can help. These programs can assist in covering bills, finding childcare, and getting you into a treatment program that is right for you.

Next Level Recovery

Next Level Recovery is a private outpatient treatment facility. We use an individualized, compassionate, respectful, and professional treatment plan to get you the needed help. We have recovery associates who can help you find the support services you need to take care of your child and are with you from the first step of treatment to the transition. 

Substance use disorder takes over your entire life and can negatively affect the people around you, especially your child. They are witnessing first-hand the negative effect of substance use and are the first to deal with the consequences other than you. Being an only parent can make it harder to seek help for many reasons. You are not alone. There are people who want to help. We at Next Level can provide a personalized experience to ensure you get everything you need to thrive in your recovery journey. We will work with you to ensure you get the support you need to ensure your child is taken care of. For more information, email us at consult@nextlevelra.com.