The article derives from some questions that the author has posed during his experience working in a day center for drug addiction and dual diagnosis. These are questions which mainly arise from the observation of the variety of reactions and ways of life which are assumed by the children of drug users during the course of their lives. Many of them follow the same paths as their parents in developing an addiction themselves, others live and cope in a more functional way, albeit often becoming carers of the dependent parent. Through the illustration of the two cases associated with both of these two different possible paths, the author proposes a reflection from a systemic perspective, to conclude that, despite our culture, the idea still remains that healthy families are those where there are no problems, even the families with a drug dependent parent may be full of potential and resources.
Keywords: Drug addiction, children, development, resilience.