In this article, we discussed the meaning of substance abuse, furthermore we talked about the effect of substance abuse on a marriage.<\/p>\n
Definition <\/strong><\/p>\n Substance abuse <\/strong>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.<\/p>\n How Substance Abuse Affects Marriage<\/strong><\/p>\n Substance abuse and marriage are not a good match. Addiction can be \u2018damaging 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\u2019t usually happen overnight and is often a result of several factors.<\/p>\n Emotional Distance <\/strong><\/p>\n One of the most impactful ways that drug addiction affects marriage is by interfering with the couple\u2019s 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 It is not uncommon for people abusing drugs and alcohol to become withdrawn and pull away from those closest to them.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.<\/p>\n Financial Struggles<\/strong><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n