You’ve probably heard people refer to love as a funny thing. You spend a significant amount of your lifetime waiting for it and when it happens, everything seems to fall into place. But, what happens when you fall in love with an addict? Do you go ahead and marry them or do you end the relationship the moment you realize that they have an addiction problem?
Everybody knows that addiction can be a terrible disease. No matter how convincing a person is, you are bound to be impacted by their addiction directly or indirectly once you marry them. In addition to suffering from seeing a loved waste their life, you have to deal with their irrational behaviors. You also have to help them when they get sick and deal with their lies, cheating and other unacceptable behaviors that are associated with addiction.
And, because you are married to them, you have to bear with them. That means you will be on the hook regardless of the damage they are likely to cause. For instance, if you marry an addict, you will be the one to get worried at home when they drink and drive home while intoxicated. If they are arrested for driving under the influence, they will call you at midnight or even late than this from a police station or even hospital. What’s more, you will be involved in paying fines for DUI and damages caused on the other party’s car or property in the event of an accident.
Signs of Addiction
Clearly, there is every reason to help a loved one recover whether you are married or planning to get married to an addict. One of the best ways to do this is to convince a loved one to enter a drug rehab for married couples (learn more). Going to this facility is important because addiction is bound to put unnecessary strain on your marriage. In most cases, addiction damages marriages due to the unpredictability of the addicted spouse, tension, conflict as well as many ups and downs.
In some cases, addiction is not apparent during courtship. That’s why you may marry an addict unknowingly. However, you may realize that your partner was an addict even before you got married only that they were skilled at hiding the problem. As such, it’s crucial to watch out for signs of addiction to determine if a loved one needs help to recover from addiction.
Here are the major addiction signs to look for:
• Sleeping patterns changes
• Mood swings
• Appetite loss
• Reckless or unpredictable behavior like fast driving
• Trembling, shaking, or slurred speech
• Loss of coordination or balance
• Losing interest in things that once gave a loved one pleasure
• Irritability
• Failure to perform crucial duties like going to work
• Isolation
• Unexplained need for cash and financial problems
According to a National Survey on Drug Use and Health conducted in 2014, about 12 million spouses are struggling with addicted partners. More than 20 million Americans are battling alcohol and/or drugs addiction. Addiction is generally the major trial in any marriage. The sober spouse is usually the one left picking up pieces of the addicted partner.
Understand a Loved One’s Addiction
Once you have noticed signs of addiction in your loved one, learn about their problem even before you start asking, which is the best couples rehab near me? If you’ve never abused drugs, understanding why your spouse can’t make the decision to quit at once is not easy. Naturally, you might be convinced that your spouse should quit immediately you ask them to if they truly love you.
Unfortunately, addiction is a disease that involves strong compulsion to continuously use the addictive substance despite its harmful consequences. And, your spouse won’t overcome the compulsion without assistance no matter how great their willpower is. Repeated use of the addictive substance causes brain changes that make resisting the urge to use it hard to resist.
However, it’s possible to beat addiction by undergoing couples rehab. When a person is addicted, they tend to think that they are hurting themselves only. Thus, convincing them to seek help is not easy. In most cases, no amount of pleading, begging or threatening to leave the marriage will convince your spouse to quit abusing the addictive substance or seek assistance. Nevertheless, you can help them by making them see that addiction is a problem that is hurting them and those around them. Try as much as you can to make them acknowledge that addiction is a problem that needs to be dealt with as soon as possible.
Treatment Options
Once you have understood the addiction problem of your spouse and made them acknowledge it and agree to resolve the problem, seek professional assistance. Talk to an addiction professional or your doctor for help in finding the available treatment options. The most ideal treatment option depends on several factors. For instance, the drug that your spouse has been abusing and the duration for which they have abused it will influence the choice of a treatment option.
Today, there are both inpatient and outpatient couples drug rehab facilities. If your partner has a physical addiction to a substance like alcohol, an inpatient facility is the best place to undergo detoxification. That’s because it has medical professionals that will supervise them and ensure their safety. Remember that withdrawal comes with unpleasant symptoms that can be fatal. Medical professionals can administer appropriate medications if necessary to ensure the comfort of your spouse.
Withdrawal symptoms mark the start of the recovery journey. Your spouse should learn coping skills due to the life stresses that are associated with addiction. They also need a support network and learning the best ways of dealing with cravings and triggers when they show up in the future. At an inpatient treatment center, your spouse will undergo treatment for addiction at a supportive and safe environment.
Don’t forget that going through a program at rehab for couples doesn’t mean that your spouse is completely cured. Recovering from addiction is an ongoing process. Thus, your spouse may need family therapy, individual therapy, and even support groups. That way, they will go through the lifelong addiction recovery journey with ease. As long as your spouse is committed and you support them, they can lead a healthy, sober life after undergoing treatment for addiction.
About the Author: Christina Matthews, the journalist who studies the latest news in the health industry. Now she studies the effects of smoking and vaping on health and reasons of such its popularity.