Another reason teens leave home is the presence of alcohol
or drug abuse in the home. One in four children lives
in a home with an alcoholic, and many others live with
parents or other relatives who abuse drugs. When under
the influence of these substances, parents may be unable
to function adequately enough to perform everyday tasks
for their children, such as cooking meals, driving to
school, keeping a clean house, and providing clothes and
other necessities. Living in a clean and safe environment
is compromised when a caretaker’s primary concern is
feeding an addiction, not raising his or her children.
Teen Runaways (TI) 10/30/03 2:30 PM Page 18
In his research on runaways and homeless teens, Jeffrey
Artenstein discovered how difficult the home life of children
whose parents abuse drugs can be. Artenstein writes,
“Common is the home where one or both parents are drug
addicts for whom the child’s welfare is secondary to the
next fix.” Parents under the influence may not be aware
when a child is hurt or ill and in need of medical attention.
Addicted parents may not be able to give their children any
attention, leaving teens feeling insecure, isolated, and neglected.
Since drugs and alcohol can make it difficult for a
person to think clearly, parents who abuse these substances
Some parents abandon
their teens altogether.
These teens often
believe that a life on
the streets is their
only option.
Teen Runaways (TI) 10/30/03 2:30 PM Page 19
20
may not be able to discern how poorly they are caring for
their families. “Some of these parents,” writes Artenstein,
“[even] incorporate their child into their schemes to score
drugs.”12 Under such circumstances, many teens face serious
health and safety risks on a daily basis. Though these
parents may not physically harm their children, they are
regularly putting these teens in a dangerous position by exposing
them to drugs and drug dealers.
Alcohol and drug
abuse by a parent or
guardian is cited by
many teens as their
primary reason