SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND ITS SEVERE CONSEQUENCES FOR INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS

Vizown

24962 Okay Road

Tecumseh, OK 74873

1-844-826-2020

Substance Abuse and its Severe

Consequences for Intimate Relationships

Most marriages and other long-term, committed relationships

fail when substance abuse takes a prominent role. Having a partner

who drinks too much or uses drugs bears serious effects on the

couple’s relationship. In the case of the partner, their substance

problem takes its toll on friends, relatives, and co-workers.

While the abuser will pay serious physical consequences, the

greatest price often falls on the partner.

The Cost of Substance Abuse in Relationships

According to the American Association for Marriage and

Family Therapy, couples with a partner abusing drugs or alcohol are

often unhappy. As the abusive tendencies worsen, the relationship

suffers from the lack of time, which creates emotional distance

between the two parties.

Arguments and misunderstandings often worsen the

situation. Disagreements trigger the abusive partner’s

tendencies to resolve to alcohol or drugs due to the stressful

situation. In some cases, substance abuse becomes the main

reason behind arguments; this results in a vicious cycle that

involves resolving conflict by drinking or using drugs more.

How Drug-Use or Drinking Severs Relationships

Spouses suspecting the negative effects of their partner’s

addiction should be aware of warning signs. Should the signals

arise, professional treatment is a must to prevent the situation

from worsening. Tell-tale signs include the following:

• Arguments about drinking or drug

use – when most of the couple’s

disagreements revolve on substance

abuse as the root of financial

problems, neglect of home

responsibilities, and so on.

• Using substance to reduce tension

– when the abusive partner turns to

alcohol or drugs to relieve stress.

• Partner covering up for spouse’s

substance abuse problem – when a

partner finds himself/herself

covering up for his/her spouse by

creating excuses for his/her absence.

• Alcohol and drug dependence for

serious conversations – when the

partner must be drunk or high

before a serious conversation or

signs of affection manifest.

Treatment’s Role in Mending Relationships

Different courses of treatment available can help abusive

partners in eliminating drinking or drug abuse. Procedures for

individuals with these problems often involve the partner.

Research shows that including the spouse helps the treatment

succeed for both parties. Treatments also help couples resolve

problems in the relationship to mend broken intimacy.

Lasting recovery from substance abuse depends on the

partner’s will to make things work. Eliminating the drinking or

drug-use begins the path towards healing broken relationships.

SOURCES:

http://www.vizown.com/

http://www.aamft.org/imis15/AAMFT/Content/Consumer_Update

s/Substance_Abuse_and_Intimate_Relationships.aspx

http://aia.berkeley.edu/media/pdf/partners.pdf