How Drug Addiction Affects Relationships

Being in love with an addict can be challenging, even if you aren’t aware of your partner’s condition. Addicts do not disclose their status quickly, and it may take you long before you learn the truth. They can hide, but their behaviors and attitude towards relationships will still manifest.

How to Tell if Your Partner is a Drug Addict

If you have doubts about your partner’s condition, it’s better to investigate them for your sake and theirs too. These signs may indicate that your partner is using drugs.

  • Changes in their sleep patterns
  • Feeling unwell when not at home for more than a day
  • Coming back after an outing with a different mood from how they left the house
  • If you find syringes or small plastic bags in the garbage
  • Leaving the house on short notice with excuses to see a friend, etc.
  • Spending cash they cannot account for, and money disappearing at home
  • Vomiting, nausea, sneezing, and anxiety

Problems Associated with Drug Addiction

Violence

An addict is a mentally unstable person, and the long-term use of drugs can make someone aggressive. Arguments and physical abuse may break a relationship or cause trauma to a loved one. Seek professional help here https://www.infiniterecovery.com/and improve your relationship.

Abuse and Anger

Shouting at your partner, using abusive words, etc., are some of the hurtful things addicts subject to their partners. The condition may deteriorate if the person is taking drugs known for increasing anger and aggression, such as cocaine, alcohol, steroids, prescription stimulants, and MDMA. On the other hand, a loved one can also turn violent against the addict due to the frustrations they cause them. If you constantly hurt someone, they tend to defend themselves too.

Secrecy

Partners who take alcohol or drugs may not open up due to shame, fear of blame, or guilt. In most cases, addicts feel they’ve wronged their partners, and they may not forgive them once they find out the truth. So, all they do is lie about where they are, why they don’t have cash, who they are with, etc. after some time, secrecy will turn into isolation or distancing from their partners, which may cause a breakup.

Decreased Sexual Intimacy

Sexual intimacy is necessary for a healthy relationship. Unfortunately, drug and substance users have poor or no sexual feelings towards their partners. Some drugs are known for causing erectile dysfunction, making it difficult for a man to have sex. Other addicts concentrate too much on their drugs that they don’t find time for their partners. Also, mistrust, abuse, and anger may cause reduced sexual intimacy, which may lead to breakups.

Loss of Trust

Couples enjoy relationships because they trust, love, and care for each other. With the increased deception and lies, a loved one is likely to lose trust and loyalty to the addict or alcoholic. Broken trust leads to anger, resentment, hatred, and mistrust issues among partners. It is hard to bring back broken trust unless the partner is ready to forgive you.

Enabling Behaviors

Your actions may directly or indirectly make it easier for an addict to continue using substances or drugs. Unfortunately, many enablers do not realize that they help an addict get away with addiction without repercussions. Some of the enabling behaviors are; failure to correct a person to avoid making them angry, making excuses for their habits, denying that a loved one is an addict, taking drugs with the person to give them company, and covering for their responsibilities.

Both partners can mend a broken relationship if the drug addict is ready to get treatment. It is hard to maintain a healthy relationship when one is addicted. Talk to your partner, give them hope, and they’ll go for treatment. Please encourage them to join support groups to regain their self-esteem.

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