Consequences of Drug Addiction in Marriage and Family

In marriage or long-term relationship, having a partner who drinks too much or uses drugs is a very difficult situation. Some people say that it can be compared to throwing a stone into a quiet pond because it creates a ripple effect and has implications in the immediate circle.

In the case of a partner who uses drugs or drinks too much, the effect is felt by his or her children, relatives, friends, and co-workers. However, it is true that that, aside from the person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, the highest price is often paid by the addict’s partner.

The habit of using drugs is an expensive one. The money used to pay for drugs dips into the funds that would otherwise go to feeding, housing and clothing the family, paying for kids’ education, and for other bills associated with raising a family.

The expenses related to the drug use go much beyond just buying the drugs. For example, things such as overdoses, drug-related illnesses, traffic accidents are bound to happen one day or the other directly related to drugs. Many hospital emergency room visits are as a result of drug abuse.

There is also a strong connection between the drug use and crime. One reason could be that the need for money to buy drugs makes people to resort to crime. But often, violent crime originates when people do things under the influence of drugs that they would never have done when they are sober.

It is unfortunate that a lot of times, that sort of crime occurs within the family itself. In the news we see many stories of drug-related spousal and child abuse.

As drinking or drug use progressively increases, it naturally takes away more and more time away from the couple. It creates an emotional distance between the couple which is hard to get over. Many couples in such situation report higher frequency of arguments and fights that can sometimes turn to be violent.

This can turn into a vicious cycle because after a serious fight the partner with the drinking or drug problems could resort to using more of these addictive substances to pacify their stress.

Couples in which a partner is addicted to alcohol or drugs have a hard time coming out of this downward spiral. Fortunately, there is hope. There are proven ways to help these relationships and, in the process, help the substance abuser recover and rehabilitate. It is important to seek help if you or your partner is facing a problem with alcohol or other drugs.