Is There a Link Between Overprotective Parents and Substance Abuse?

Question by M.: Is there a link between overprotective parents and substance abuse?
Overprotective parents try and monitor all aspects of their children’s lives. But that’s not possible.

It would make sense that teenagers with overprotective parents would try to rebel when their parents aren’t around. A way of rebelling would be taking drugs and smoking and drinking.

Are there any statistics, reports, or studies anywhere that would suggest a link between overprotective parents and substance abuse? Thanks!

Best answer:

Answer by Minnow
While the kids are at home, they’re extremely UNLIKELY to abuse substances, or even try them out.

The argument is that when their kids leave home they’re more likely to use drugs and abuse them because they never had any autonomy. However, it seems that the more overprotective parents who don’t teach their kids that they can handle themselves and that their parents trust them to make the right decisions once they’re adults, the kids are more likely to be depressed and that increases risks for substance abuse. The parents too though, it depresses them as much as the kids to have to be that involved in their adult child’s life. But… that doesn’t mean that is the end result of every overprotective parent. If a parent is overprotective, but increases responsibility and then says “You’re an adult, you can handle this, I’ve taught you what I believe now it’s time for you to stand on your own, you’ve got this.” Then the kids seem to do fine.

It’s like this second link. It’s not so much the overbearing of the parents, but the overbearing of the mother and her not letting them grow up that seems to lead to the abuse. However, there’s no real research to support it, just correlation and self-reporting.

Here’s something to consider. If you were caught substance abusing, and you were asked what caused it, would you admit that you were a stupid idiot and started using drugs because you wanted to try a thrill or would you blame your mommy? Everyone in my family who does something wrong blames our mom, and then to a lesser extent our dad. All of my friends who do things wrong blame their mom. They don’t take responsibility for it until they’re much older, but even then they keep saying things like “well, if my mom had done this or that differently…” It’s a cop out. And just because there are studies where substance abusers say “my mommy made me” doesn’t mean that it’s the real reason.

Note the third link. Teens of overprotective parents are more likely to avoid drug and alcohol use, at least as teens. When it extends past teen years, then it seems to be connected with more substance abuse as the young adult keeps trying to prove they’ve got this.

Basically, it doesn’t make sense for a teen who’s living at home, having mom and dad watch their every move, to use drugs if they get a chance. Or even sex. They’d be scared to. It makes sense for them to be depressed. It makes sense for it to possibly even contribute to mental issues. And when they move out, if the parents continue to be overbearing and act like their kids can’t handle it, then it makes sense for them to do things their parents won’t approve of, including drug and alcohol use. But not while they’re teens.

What do you think? Answer below!

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