Addiction, whether it’s to drugs or alcohol is an overwhelming sickness that needs to be dealt with as soon as possible, by entering a Canadian Centre for addictions. The center is a private drug rehab that can help you or your loved one get back on track and that is tailored to the individual’s needs. It’s important to get help for you or your loved one before it ruins your life and the lives of the people you love.
Substance abuse can be devastating to marriages, families, and relationships. Being addicted to drugs and alcohol can lead to divorce, the end of your career, and financial devastation as well. Substance abuse is especially hard on and can easily destroy a once strong marriage.
Addiction to drugs and alcohol is also one of the most valid reasons for divorce, meaning that if your spouse files for divorce due to your addiction, you don’t have a leg to stand on in court and may very well lose everything you value. Below, you will find a few of the ways that substance abuse can destroy the marriage that you once valued above everything else.
Denial
Denial that you have a problem is one of the number one symptoms of drug addiction, and it’s also one of the ways that substance abuse can destroy an otherwise healthy marriage. For the addicted spouse, they are in denial thinking that they are in control of their addiction or can stop anytime they want to when the exact opposite is true. For the spouse of the addicted person, denial usually comes in the fact that they try to believe their spouse that they can quit whenever they choose. Many times, once they see that their partner is addicted it’s already too late for the marriage to be saved.
Denial on the part of the non-addicted spouse can be the most dangerous, as it allows them to enable their addicted spouse even though they aren’t willingly doing so.
A Helpless Feeling
A helpless feeling on the part of the non-addicted spouse is something that sets in quickly. After the period of denial is over, many non-addicted and addicted spouses reach the point of not knowing what to do, how to get help, or even if they will ever be able to. There is a strong connection between addiction and helplessness. Feeling totally out of control and unable to do anything about your situation often leads to the addicted spouse turning to their drug of choice for comfort and the non-addicted spouse giving up and filing for divorce. Once the situation becomes unbearable, the marriage is usually over.
Dishonesty And Neglect
Two of the biggest causes of a marriage ending due to substance abuse is the dishonesty and neglect that tend to go hand in hand with addiction. The addicted spouse starts to spend more time with friends who have the same addiction that they do, leaving the spouse alone the majority of the time and feeling neglected. To hide the addiction, dishonesty comes into play as well, as the addicted spouse works harder and harder to hide his addiction from the spouse he loves. In many cases, all of these things can escalate to an abusive marriage as well. From the dishonesty and neglect to the possible abuse, many marriages are destroyed if the addicted spouse hasn’t gotten help by this time.
These are just a few of the ways that substance abuse can destroy a marriage that used to be loving and strong. If you or your spouse have a problem with addiction, please get help somewhere before it’s too late.
