Your children are vulnerable, which is why your child custody arrangement could have a significant impact on their wellbeing. While important decisions pertaining to education, medical care, and religion are on the line, their everyday physical and mental health could be at stake, too. That’s why it’s imperative that you continue to revisit your child custody arrangement to determine if it’s in your child’s best interest.
The effects of parental substance abuse on children
Time and again we see situations where children reside with a parent who struggles with addiction. This can have a profound impact on your child. In fact, each of the following can come into play in regard to your child when he or she is subjected to parental substance abuse:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Social isolation
- Fear
- Forced parental responsibilities
- Increased risk of abuse and neglect
- Increased risk of future substance abuse
- Behavioral issues
- Poor school performance
These are just some of the potential effects, any one of which can serve as a power detriment to your child’s life. These effects can be long-lasting, too, reaching well into adulthood.
What can you do?
Fortunately, you don’t have to let your child be subjected to parental substance abuse any longer. You can take legal action in the form of a child custody modification in hopes of restricting the access that your child’s other parent has to the child. To successfully argue one of these motions, though, you’ll need evidence that demonstrates the other parent’s substance abuse problem, and it would be beneficial to have someone who can testify as to how that exposure harms your child.
We know that dealing with child custody matters can be stressful. But the work is worth the outcome if it means keeping your child safe.
