| Children of parents who have a problem with | | | | have poor relationships of their own because they are |
| substance abuse are all affected differently, depending | | | | unable to trust and are afraid they might be victimized |
| on how old they are, how their parents behave with | | | | by such a situation again. |
| their addiction and how the children react to any abuse | | | | Too many children grow up in such situations without |
| and stress they experience. Some children will become | | | | getting the help that they need. Some will eventually |
| withdrawn, while others may become extremely | | | | seek help from a therapist, others may be too |
| independent and extroverted. Some children may even | | | | embarrassed to book an appointment and many will |
| follow the behaviors of their parent or parents and | | | | not even realize that they can get help after they |
| develop an addiction, though not necessarily the same | | | | have left the situation. With the internet becoming such |
| addiction. | | | | a popular and easy tool these days, more counselors |
| Regardless of what the abuse is, children are thrown | | | | and patients alike are taking advantage of the internet |
| into an unstable, chaotic and unpredictable environment | | | | as a way to reach out and communicate. Online |
| that can leave a child feeling at a complete loss of | | | | counseling is accessible to anyone, including children, |
| what to do. They are torn between their feelings of | | | | who can gain access to the internet. Children, or the |
| love and the frustration for their parents. They never | | | | parents of children, can easily access online counseling |
| know what to expect and are constantly uncertain as | | | | sites from their home or cyber cafe to communicate |
| to what they can do to improve the situation at home. | | | | with an online counselor in regards to their current or |
| Some children will feel that they are the cause of their | | | | previous situation. The online therapist will work with |
| parent's addiction, either because their parent has told | | | | the children of such situations to help them deal with |
| them they are or they feel that bad behavior and / or | | | | them so that they can move on and develop decent |
| poor marks on their part is the main cause of the | | | | lives. Online therapy can help children to better |
| problem. Children, especially younger children, do not | | | | understand what they are going through and learn |
| quite understand what is going on, so when they feel | | | | different ways of working their way through it. The |
| they might be the cause, they fully believe they can | | | | online therapy can also help the children to help |
| possibly change their parent's behavior by altering their | | | | themselves move forward, leave their past behind and |
| own. Fear plays into these situations as well, especially | | | | work towards a better life for their self. Getting help |
| if the parent is mentally and physically abusive. All | | | | for children in these kinds of situations can be crucial, |
| these emotions together can be overwhelming for the | | | | because they are at a point in their lives where they |
| child and they can be traumatized by such events well | | | | are still learning and developing. Without help, they could |
| into their future. In fact, many may even grow up to | | | | have a more difficult time in their adult life. |