Substance use disorder affects millions each year. Of those affected are the spouses of the addicted. The havoc wreaked by addiction and alcoholism tends to make those closest suffer emotionally and the marriage is often on shaky ground by the time they get help.
A Christian addiction treatment center with professional staff is equipped to help not only the person suffering from addiction, they will also offer assistance to the family and provide resources as necessary to help the family unit survive and thrive in early recovery. Below are five ways addiction impacts your marriage:
1. Addiction Causes Financial Distress
Whether both partners work and bring in a fantastic income or both parties struggle, addiction will bring hardship on the family where money is concerned. These financial issues can arise in one of many ways such as job losses or money was taken from the joint account to finance the drug or alcohol addiction. With married couples that are more financially stable, the process of financial decline could progress slowly but more often there are also legal complications that can occur if the one suffering gets pulled over and gets a DUI, DWI, or a possession charge which can cause extreme financial despair.
2. Trust Will Diminish in a Marriage Affected By Addiction
In order to keep up an addiction, the addicted might begin to lie for many reasons. The spouse will try to hide the addiction to the best of their ability, often denying when they get caught. They may begin to lie about how money is spent, why they stayed out all night and the means in which will they come into possession of their drug or drink of choice. Another form of lying includes stealing items to fund their habit.
3. Intimacy Suffers From Turmoil Caused By Addiction
Drug and alcohol addiction changes a person in many ways and it robs them of their true identity. The longer an addiction occurs, the less they will seem like the person they once were. A substance use disorder causes the addiction to prioritize their addiction over anything else, including their family and loved ones. This causes them to lose interest in the things that used to matter, like spending time with their family or spouse.
4. If Children are Involved, Their Safety and Overall Sense of Security is Jeopardized
Addiction robs children of a reliable parent. A person under the influence of drugs or alcohol will not be using their best judgment. If a parent under the influence is responsible for the welfare of a child, accidents and neglect tend to happen.
5. Addiction Leads To Verbal, Emotional, and Physical Abuse
Many homes are destroyed by abuse and domestic violence. Behind many incidents that take place is an underlying and untreated substance use disorder. People with drug and alcohol addiction are not in their right mind. The chemicals they’ve abused affect the way they think, act, and unfortunately, they are prone to acting out violently.
While addiction treatment is available, those afflicted with drug and alcohol addiction will have to come to terms and accept that they need help. If you or a loved one needs information about addiction treatment services or sober living, please contact us at 817-993-9733.
Stonegate Center is a faith-based alcohol and drug abuse treatment center based in Azle, Texas. Our separate treatment facilities for men and women provide safe and healing environment where our residents can receive guidance and achieve physical freedom from addiction. Stonegate Center stresses community, accountability, and fellowship. Serving the communities of Azle, Fort Worth and Dallas, Texas, and beyond.
