Can A Marriage Survive Drug Addiction?

For the better and for worse, through good times and the bad… That’s what you’ve both vowed to honor, right? However, marriage is a two-party institution, and once the third party comes in – it can get too crowded. This is especially true if that third party is a vicious entity called addiction. It adds a heavy and dark weight to your love boat until it slowly starts to sink. Will the boat sink or safely take you both safely to the shore? Can a marriage survive drug addiction? That is a question for our experts at the rehab center Lantana FL today.

Influence of addiction on romantic relationships

There are many ways in which addiction may affect romantic relationships. The results will be different for each kind of substance and each degree of addiction. For all, certain addictions might remain dormant for years, while others may become more apparent as a couple becomes closer. According to the experience of the experts from medical detox in Florida facility, when one partner in a relationship has a substance abuse problem, they may exhibit the following behavioral patterns:

• Irritation or aggression
• Unfaithfulness and dishonesty
• Frequent promise-breaking
• Assaults or abuse potential or actions (this is a red zone you should really pay attention to; also one of the common symptoms we see in patients in heroin detox in Florida)
• Having severe and sudden money problems
• Keeping how bad their drug problem is to themselves

Any of these things can ruin even the picture-perfect kind of relationship because these things cut down everything a healthy relationship should have. It’s normal to feel confused and helpless if your partner has shown any of these actions toward you.

Stepping stones at every corner

Seeing your partner go through drug withdrawal can be really trying for you as an individual, and as someone who loves them very much. Patients in cocaine withdrawal treatment often state that one of the things they regret the most is putting their partner through hell during their withdrawals.  Addiction to drugs causes problems in the marriages of thousands of Americans. Many of these marriages sadly end in divorce or separation as a result of the addict’s drug use.

Addicts’ spouses face a number of difficulties on a regular basis. Trust, respect and open dialogue are the cornerstones of a happy marriage. Nevertheless, when one partner is fighting drug addiction, these vital characteristics are often disregarded. Anger, despair, loneliness, and resentment arise as a result of this ongoing distrust and failure to communicate. Sadly, inefficient or aggressive communication may damage marriage over time, contributing to these sentiments. Maintaining a healthy dynamic may be next to impossible when a marriage is this disorganized.

It can become a lot to handle on your own

When a person marries an addict, they themselves become ill, taking on new and harmful responsibilities within the family. The addict’s partner feels the harmful effects of the addiction without meaning to. Spouses of addicts, for instance, are at increased risk for mental health issues, including anxiety, sadness, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). That’s why it’s important for the addicted person and their partner to get help. It’s quite improbable that a marriage will last if one of the partners is addicted to drugs and doesn’t get help. Attending individual treatment and couples counseling may help restore relationships that have been harmed by drug addiction.

How can you deal with a spouse with an addiction problem?

When your house of love is being crushed by the ruthless hurricane of addiction, the only way to preserve it in the hope to rebuild it later is to take certain actions. There is no magic formula and each situation is different, but these are some suggestions for helping a partner overcome drug addiction:

1. Maintain hope and try not to give up on them
2. Keep in mind that the first step toward recovery is acknowledging that a problem exists
3. Learn as much as you can about drug and alcohol misuse by doing some reading
4. Try to discourage them to continue using it.
5. Support them while they make a full recovery.
6. Get in touch with a reputable healthcare professional
7. Take them to a hospital or treatment facility for detox

True, these suggestions are simpler in theory than in practice. Addiction may put a strain on any relationship, but it can be especially difficult on a marriage. However, if you really put effort into solving this obstacle, it can save the love of your life and you too.

Remember all the good times

Of course, we can’t tell you to look at these things with pink glasses, because – it’s not possible. Or, if your spouse is abusive to you and you’re trying to find a way out. In that case, this advice would be counterproductive. However, if you decide to try and help your significant other get through this, you’ll need something to keep you motivated. So, when the times get really dark, try to remember all the bright and beautiful moments you two shared together. A good laugh, a good coffee on a sunny day, a trip to Disneyland… anything that will help you remember who you gave your love to actually.

Because, at the end of the day, the person you fell in love with is still hiding somewhere beneath the heavy curtains of addiction. Spouses of our most successful patients at the Florida opioid detox center state that this method has helped them through the toughest challenges this disease brings, and that it helped their marriage survive addiction.

Working together on a problem is a good sign

Getting both partners and any children involved in the addiction into treatment is the greatest way to save a marriage from the destructive effects of drugs. Understanding how the challenges of addiction rehabilitation may impact the couple’s commitment to each other is also helpful. It’s quite difficult to have a healthy connection with someone who is actively using. Even if the partnership makes it, neither partner will be happy nor healthy unless they work together to address their relationship issues.

Rebuilding your life together will take time

There may be other difficulties to face once the addicted partner has entered rehab. When a partner is enslaved by drugs or alcohol, you no longer have the person you married. While they may be recovering, they still may not be the person you want them to be. Substance abuse is not like the common cold. It’s important to understand that once someone enters treatment, they will not suddenly feel better. Some of the addict’s old habits may resurface even after they’ve been clean for a while, and the spouse will go through the same cycle of feeling powerless, hopeless, and extremely alone.

For this reason, it’s crucial that both partners get well. Initially, when you start your own therapy, you may feel relieved to no longer have to play the role of caretaker. Also, the alcoholic or drug addict partner is protected in rehab, so you don’t have to pick them up off the floor. The dynamics of the partnership shift again as time passes and the addict improves under treatment. They are suddenly becoming aware of the nature of their difficulties. They are beginning to formulate ideas for improvement. But, it’s all a lasting process, and you should treat it that way, for your own good.

Healing of an addict’s partner is just as important

If the person’s partner hasn’t received any therapy for their own issues, the rehabilitation process will seem unbalanced. The spouse may begin to feel resentful or abandoned as the patient’s recovery advances. You see the addict’s improvement in health when he or she engages in regular behaviors like playing basketball, lounging by the pool, or joking and laughing with friends. Yet, as the sober partner you haven’t had a chance to recover yet, so you’re still unwell. In terms of recovery, you might feel like you’re falling behind.

Take care of yourself and seek help

Generally speaking, the non-addicted partner still has to get well and deal with their own trauma and sorrow, even if the addicted partner is the root of the marital difficulties. Spouses need to learn about the effects of addiction on their families. Such people need assistance in pursuing their own means of recovery. Kids need to learn how to deal with their grief on their own and make sure that they don’t resort to any destructive habits as a result of it. A non-addicted spouse often has to deal with that alone as well. Whether their addicted partner is still using, in treatment, or returning home, a spouse will experience a wide range of emotions and reactions at each stage of the process.

So, if your partner has a drug addiction problem, it’s normal for you to feel helpless and unable to cope. You feel obligated to be there for them, but it’s not always easy. In the same way, you can’t help another person if you’re not able to support yourself when times are tough. Luckily, there is a wealth of information and assistance available if your spouse or significant other is struggling with substance misuse. Also, don’t be afraid to schedule a therapy session on your own. There is a wide variety of group therapy sessions as well. This might be the best option, because

Is divorce the best for everyone?

Substance-abusing partners may benefit from a divorce in specific circumstances. The non-addicted spouse may need to move on if the addicted partner has repeatedly tried to seek assistance or rejected help without any progress. The threat of divorce is occasionally used as a tactic to help addicts realize the gravity of their behavior, according to our experts at Florida marijuana detox. Divorce could be the best choice for some couples, while for others it might be the worst.

Can a marriage survive drug addiction? Can it last after this kind of turbulence?

A connection that has been affected by addiction may be preserved and even strengthened. But, honesty and a shared commitment to helping the addicted spouse get treatment are required on both sides. In addition to their spouse, recovering addict needs the support of their loved ones in order to succeed in their quest to overcome their addiction. Individuals and couples dealing with drug dependency have access to a wide variety of treatment alternatives, including:

• Residential and non-residential options
• Couples’ addiction support groups and psychotherapy
• Substance abuse medication

So, can drug abuse end a marriage? Yes. But, it can also strengthen it.  You will need persistence, tolerance, and insight. You should put as much effort into caring for yourself as you would your spouse and kids. Both spouses need to be honest with themselves about whether or not they think their marriage can survive their drug use. However, in certain cases, the harm may have already been done since the procedure is so sensitive. The past haunts some individuals forever. It’s possible they can’t take it any longer, or maybe the spouse has threatened to end the relationship unless the addict goes to rehab and remains clean.

Things will change – and it can be a great thing

A glimmer of light, though, may be found in every situation. Maintaining sobriety might pave the way for a more fulfilling connection with another person. Before anybody can have a healthy relationship, they must learn what that term means and how to apply it to their particular family dynamics. They need to recognize that putting forth effort (both physically and emotionally) and working together on issues is essential to maintaining a strong relationship. Having limits in place and reasonable expectations is also crucial. Marriages may survive and even flourish in the face of drug addiction if the pair can get to the root of the problem via inpatient detox in Florida or outpatient treatment. So, if you want the simplest answer to the question can a marriage survive drug addiction – it can, but it has the best chance of it in a treatment facility.