Divorce is challenging enough without adding substance abuse to the mix. Unfortunately, some parents use their pending divorces to slide further into the abyss of addiction to drugs or alcohol.
The problem is that the nature of substance abuse permits addicts to live in the dangerous state of denial about their problems. Many continue to deny that they have substance abuse problems despite the way their drinking or drugging adversely affects every aspect of their lives, including custody of their children.
Will seeking treatment cause you to lose your kids?
It could happen, at least in the short-term while the addict enters a residential detox/rehab program. After all, someone must be in charge of the children while the parent gets the help they so desperately need to kick the habit.
But there is a flip side that offers hope. Family law courts tend to look favorably upon parents who self-refer for drug and alcohol treatment because it indicates a willingness to take responsibility for curbing their addictions. But they typically must remain in active recovery, e.g., attending AA/NA meetings, working their programs, etc. to keep their custody rights intact.
A hard truth
The fact is that no matter how certain you are that you are disguising your addiction from others, in the vast majority of cases, that is only a grim illusion. People, including minor children, recognize when parents behave oddly after consuming alcohol or their drugs of choice. The likelihood is high that co-parents will use the addicts’ dependence as leverage for reduced or supervised child custody for their former partners.
What can you do?
The best thing to do is seek the counsel of a family law attorney at Quinn Law Firm. They can help you fight for custody while you focus on getting and remaining sober so you can be the best parent you can be to your kids. Call us today at 814-833-2222 to set up a consultation.
