We know how important secure attachment is for the future stability and well being of a child and new research shows how drug abuse can really disrupt the establishment of secure attachment.
According to a study conducted with behavioral observations at Yale Child Study Center during long-term therapy, researchers noticed that mothers with addiction to cocaine or heroin more often withdrew from infant distress and gave shorter feedings, and were more likely to show aggressiveness in physical interactions with their children.
Usually when a mother hears her infant crying it triggers the parent to respond to the infant in a way to alleviate the child’s pain or discomfort, but with addicted mothers it causes them to commit avoidant behaviors and even consume their drug to avoid dealing with the child.
