Because emotional abuse leaves no overt physical evidence it is difficult to prosecute guilty parents. Substance Abuse Parents who seriously abuse alcohol or drugs often are unable to carry out parental responsibilities. The substance typically leads them to erratic behavior which centers on getting and using the substance they are d ependent on. Many alcoholic parents become more aggressive when they are drunk and often abuse their children during those times. They tend to be inconsistent parents who do not use good parenting practices.
Children often have a low priority in families with substance abusing parents.
Children of alcoholic parents often have psychological problems which become apparent when they become adults.