In this article, we discussed the meaning of substance abuse, furthermore we talked about the effect of substance abuse on a marriage.
Definition
Substance abuse refers to the harmful or hazardous use of psychotropic substances, including alcohol and illicit drugs. One of the key impacts of illicit drug use on society is the negative health consequences experienced by its members.
How Substance Abuse Affects Marriage
Substance abuse and marriage are not a good match. Addiction can be ‘damaging to romantic relationships and lead to irreparable damage. For married couples, this may mean the person who you swore to spend forever with becomes a stranger. This transformation doesn’t usually happen overnight and is often a result of several factors.
Emotional Distance
One of the most impactful ways that drug addiction affects marriage is by interfering with the couple’s emotional connection. It is not uncommon for people abusing drugs and alcohol to become withdrawn and pull away from those closest to them. They may also lie to their spouse to try and hide their substance abuse or cover up their addiction. All these factors can lead to emotional distance and lack of intimacy. If the addicted spouse never gets into a detox program and gets sober, this distance may become too great to overcome.
Financial Struggles
Fueling an addiction can be costly. Because money is often cited as the number one subject that couples argue about and finances are a leading cause of divorce,1 having an addict spouse who is wasting money on drugs or alcohol can be problematic. Financial struggles are common in marriages involving a spouse who is an addict. Not only are they spending money on these substances that could otherwise be used for something else, but also people with substance use disorders are often at a higher risk of losing their jobs because they neglect their work.
Legal Conflicts
If your spouse refuses to go to a standard or luxury residential rehab and get sober, this could lead to legal problems. These legal conflicts may include divorce, child custody battles, improvement, or a DWI. Not only can this cause problems on its own, but hefty legal fees can add to the financial problems.
Abuse
In some extreme cases, the effects of drug addiction on marriage might also include verbal, sexual, or physical abuse. While not everyone who has a substance use disorder is abusive, there is some evidence to suggest that violence in a relationship is significantly connected to substance abuse.2 This may be a result of impaired judgment from being under the influence or aggression brought on by substance use. If your addicted spouse has become abusive, seek help immediately. Addiction on its own is a challenging disease, but all too often loved ones get dragged along for the ride. Unfortunately, the effects of drug addiction on a marriage may be irreversible, but the sooner the addicted partner gets help the more likely that marriage can be rescued.
Conclusion
Substance use can eventually destroy a couple by undermining trust, which weakens the bond between partners. If children are part of the relationship, conflicts over parental responsibilities, neglect, or use can occur as a result of one partner’s – or sometimes both partners’ – drinking or drug use