Living With A Drug Addict Spouse

Is divorce inevitable when married to an addict.

Living with a drug addict spouse.

In fact couples dealing with addiction have four times the risk of divorce than those who don t and many of these divorces take place after the addicted partner is in recovery according to bob navarra pysd a master certified gottman therapist trainer. Be supportive but do not cover for problems created by substance abuse. Substance abuse can eventually destroy a couple by undermining trust which weakens the bond between partners. What used to be a happy home can quickly take on the appearance of a circus especially if your spouse is actively abusing drugs.

Loved ones of addicts need support too. Addiction takes a tremendous toll on a marriage or long term relationship and in many cases can lead to divorce or a break up. In addition to reading up on valuable information online consider talking to an experienced treatment specialist who helps. The person struggling needs to deal with the consequences of their addiction.

When you re married to an addict your whole life turns upside down. Living with an addicted spouse can create stress despair anxiety and unhappiness amongst many other things countless couples who experience addiction within their marriage end up getting divorced because of it. If children are part of the relationship conflicts over parental responsibilities neglect or abuse can occur as a result of one partner. Living with a partner addict.

In order to understand what you re dealing with it s important to learn as much as you can about the disease. The non addicted spouse is affected by the addiction directly and indirectly. Living with addiction causes a domino effect in the life of the person using as well as their family. Addiction can be one of the most difficult situations that can occur within a marriage.

For many americans a close relationship with an addicted partner can become a source of chaos negativity emotional upheaval and even violence. According to the american association for marriage and family therapy aamft domestic partnerships that involve a drug addicted or alcoholic spouse creates a cycle of conflict in these instances their substance abuse often leads to verbal or even physical conflicts which start as a result of the spouse s behaviors that are being driven by addiction and. Chaos naturally accompanies the disease of addiction. Set an example for healthy living by giving up recreational drug and alcohol use.

Addiction is without a doubt one of the greatest challenges for a marriage. So getting back to the issue of marriage and addiction it would seem that there are just as many millions of people out there suffering from the effects of living with an addict. Find a therapist who specializes in addiction counseling and get help.