Addiction and alcoholism put a strain on people’s marriages, without a doubt. Families can be destroyed in the wake of what is considered to be one of the most stressful situations a family can experience. People who drink will spend all their money on alcohol, create an environment where kids may not feel safe, and perhaps impair the health and safety of their loved ones. Others may be high-functioning and hiding addiction, but the toll on their marriages is undeniable. Find some tips on how to navigate marital discord around alcoholism and ways to seek hope for a new life in recovery.
What is Lost
In the beginning of an addiction to the later stages, many things get lost along the way. This may include the close connection desired with a family that gets pushed aside. Some of the ways drinking impacts family members, along with co-workers, and others, may include:
- Spending time in recovery: recovering from too much drinking eats up a lot of physical and psychological resources. Meanwhile, the person fails to make commitments, keep appointments, go to work, eat right, exercise, or participate in family life. This includes spending time with their partner
- Legal and financial problems: drinking may increase the chances of not acting properly, driving under the influence, and getting involved in domestic disputes. With so many issues that can pop up, it is not surprising that marriages begin to tear apart after dealing with the ravages of addiction
- Inability to quit on their own: alcohol is addictive and leads to dependence issues. While the person is dependent on alcohol, they may not be addicted, but they cannot stop drinking, either. Ongoing drinking is a significant thing are heading downhill fast
Hitting the Skids
Everyone has marriage trouble from time to time. When two people with different personalities, families, likes, and dislikes, they around bound to disagree at some point. Alcohol abuse, on the other hand, adds another layer of complexity and stress. When a partner drinks, the other one may feel abandoned or isolated and not able to seek help. Spouses are seen as one unit financially, supporting their kids and their lives with their income. Financial instability due to someone’s drinking habits can have a lasting impact on their marriage and take its toll. Alcohol abuse may trigger high emotions including feelings of abandonment, unworthiness, guilt, and self-blame. There are also issues of codependency. Therapeutic work in recovery and rehab can start to highlight all these issues and offer support for the couple so they can strengthen their marriage together once the individual stops drinking. Kids are equally impacted in marriage, causing further rupture of the family. Kids may act out, miss school, not bond with friends, and develop behaviors that last well into adulthood as a means of coping with their family situation. They may also suffer from mental health and addiction issues later in their teens and early adulthood. The best hope for someone with an addiction is to seek treatment and build a new platform to stand on together. Including marital partners in the journey of recovery can be healing and bring hope and light to an otherwise dark situation. Letting go of denial and seeking treatment may not only save their marriage but also their lives and the lives of their children in the future.
Oceanfront understands the needs you have in rehab. We structure our programs to include family members so everyone has a chance to learn about addiction and move forward together. We are located in beautiful Laguna Beach. Call us to find out how we can help you navigate addiction recovery: 888-981-4295
