Parents’ experiences of abuse by their adult children with drug problems

What is it about?

According to the parents the interaction with the children is dominated by the children’s destructive drug use which the parents are trying to stop. This gives rise to more or less severe conflicts. During this verbal argument, the child grows ever more agitated and finally crosses the line between an ordinary argument and abusive action against the parent. The interviews portray insults (verbal abuse) and threats (emotional/psychological abuse) as recurring elements in the interaction with the adult child, whereas causing damage (financial abuse) and, in particular, violence (physical abuse) are less common. Such incidents are in retrospect excused by the fact that the child was on drugs. The parents’ accounts make a clear distinction between the child as under the influence of drugs and the child as sober. On drugs, the child is self-destructive, unreliable and irritable, a fake human being, whereas the sober child is a genuine person that the parents love and are ready to make great sacrifices for.

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Photo by Mitchell Hollander on Unsplash

Photo by Mitchell Hollander on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Parents who are subjected to abuse by their adult children with drug problems are crime victims who have received inadequate help and attention. It is important that the authorities and NGOs better identify this group and do what they can to offer them help and support.

Perspectives