How Does Addiction Affect A Divorce Settlement
Most people who ultimately get divorced consider the decision for an average of two years before they begin the process. Once a couple decides to end their marriage, the spouses and their lawyers will negotiate a settlement for custody, child support, alimony, and division of assets. If the terms of a settlement have to be determined in court, judges sometimes take addiction into consideration.
If the couple has children, a judge may award the non-addicted spouse full custody and deny the other parent any visitation rights. The judge may also grant the addicted parent visitation rights but require supervision and drug testing. Judges may also view the financial costs of addiction as grounds for reimbursement, so they sometimes order the spouse with a history of addiction to pay alimony and give the sober partner a greater share of the couples money and property.
All 50 states permit no-fault divorce, but in some states a person could also file for divorce on the grounds that their spouse struggles with addiction or substance abuse. The rules and procedures of divorce are different in each state, so anyone who is beginning the divorce process should consult a local attorney for professional legal advice.
Break free from addiction.
Dealing With A Spouse With An Addiction: What Comes Next
Once it has become clear that you are the spouse of an addicted person, it is normal to feel lost and overwhelmed, as though there is nothing you can do. Fortunately, this is not the case, as there are many ways you can help your spouse, and there are also many resources available to provide help for the spouses of those struggling with addiction.
First and foremost, it is crucial that you and your spouse both acknowledge their addiction and the problems it is causing not just for your spouse but in your marriage and family as well. This is often done in the form of an intervention, where friends and family can both provide support and clearly illustrate how many people are affected by your spouses addiction.
While it is important to be clear and candid, it is also important to avoid tactics like making threats. Threatening your spouse with divorce unless they agree to stop using will, typically, not work. This is not meant to be an indication of their lack of love or commitment, but that their addiction has progressed to the point where they no longer have any control over their drug or alcohol use.
In fact, the stress, shame, and other negative feelings that accompany the threat of divorce will most likely only drive them to further abuse. Instead, it may be more helpful to emphasize how much you care about them and their wellbeing as an impetus for getting them into treatment.
Am I Married To An Addict
Drug addiction can harm a marriage in many ways. As a spouse, you may be concerned about changes in your loved ones behavior. If you think you might be married to an addict, there are several signs to look for that might mean your wife or husband is addicted to drugs. Signs of drug addiction in a spouse include:
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Rapid weight loss or weight fluctuations
- Poor hygiene and changes in appearance
- Extreme bouts of energy or lethargy
- Extreme mood swings
- Seizures
- Changes in sleep patterns, insomnia, excessive sleeping, or falling asleep rapidly after periods of high energy
- Health issues including flu-like symptoms
- Scratching, changes to skin color, sores, redness, blotches, track marks, scabs, scars, cuts or burns on body and mouth
- Excessive sneezing, sniffling or bloody noses from cocaine use
- Lack of interest, isolation or increased arguments to avoid questions
- Avoiding friends and family to spend time alone or with new groups of people
- Less interest in normal activities like work, school or family time
- Frequently missing work or school and failing to meet personal or professional commitments
- Unkempt appearance and less attention to personal hygiene
- Evasive or secretive behavior
- Financial problems, a lack of money, and incidences of stealing from family, friends or others
- Drug paraphernalia
- Legal issues
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Things You Need To Do When Your Spouse Is Addicted
Some of the most complicated relationships in life can be those we actually choose: the people we date, the people we live with, the people we marry, the people we have children with. Unlike our relationships with parents or siblings or cousins and so on we actually seek out and are selective about those with whom we are romantic. Somehow, however, those relationships can take the most work.
One factor that can throw the biggest loop in a marriage or long-term relationships is drug or alcohol addiction.
How Do I Make Them Stop
When were unwilling to accept powerlessness, we live on an emotional roller coaster. Our hopes climb, only to be dashed. Our anger ebbs and flows. All the while, too many of us are stuck seeking ways to control what we cannot control.
She took him to church. She believed the preacher when he told her that all her husband had to do was confess and leave his addiction at the altar. He went faithfully. He went high. Nothing changed.
She sent him to their family doctor. With all good intentions, the doctor prescribed pills that were addictive and easily abused. She sent him to the methadone clinic. He received progressively larger doses until all he did was sleep and eat.
She sent him to NA and hoped hes meet some good folks. He did. Then he bought pills on the ride home. For all that she tried, he continued to see being clean as an impossibility.
She despaired, Nothing Im doing is working! What am I supposed to do?
Stop. As long as youre working harder than he is, nothing changes!
The distance between what she knew and could accept was a chasm. She faced what seemed like a paradox how to accept what she found to be unacceptable?
The answer:
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Signs Of Drug Use In A Spouse
Drug abuse can take many forms. While some individuals are able to use substances on occasion, others find themselves in the throes of addiction and severe drug dependence quite quickly. If you are uncertain whether or not you are are married to an addict, it is important to understand a bit more about addiction.
Oftentimes, substance use disorders occur in stages. These stages can happen over time or quickly, depending on the individual, their drug of choice and other factors. If you are concerned that your husband or wife is abusing drugs and you are unsure whether or not they have a substance use disorder, consider the following stages that addiction can occur in:
Harmony Ridge Can Help Those Married To A Drug Addict
Harmony Ridge Recovery Center is an award-winning addiction treatment center in West Virginia. Weve won awards because we understand that every patient here has a different story.
A key portion of an addicts story is how they want to get better to be the spouse they once were. Marriage can be tough on its own. Adding addiction to the mix makes divorce seem inevitable.
Were here to tell you that addiction recovery can save a marriage. More than that, we offer personalized plans to ensure forever sobriety. Contact us now if you or a loved one needs help with addiction recovery.
References:
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Q: Whats The Status Of Your Relationship Today And Do You Have Any Regrets
A: Well, if this were a fairy tale, Id say that Tom and I got back together and lived happily ever afterbut this is real life and things didnt work out that way. In fact, they worked out much better. Tom and I divorced amicably I might add and we both moved on.
Today hes sober, healthy and happy. In fact, hes working as a guide and counselor for a youth wilderness therapy program.
As for me, Ive learned how to stand on my own and not put the well-being of others ahead of my own needs. Today, I am an active participant in building the life I want to live. Ive learned that its okay to detach myself from toxic situations and Ive set boundaries that define what I will and will not tolerate from others.
Most importantly, Ive found happiness and peace with my past and the decisions I made. Im a stronger person for all Ive experienced and I refuse to waste time lingering in the past. Ive got too much life to be living to do that!
No regrets no what ifs.
Educate Yourself On Addiction
Understanding why your spouse is addicted can help you be more empathetic. When you communicate from a place of empathy, you get better results. Substance abuse is a chronic disease of the brain. People cant just quit once theyre dependent on drugs or alcohol. Drug addiction and alcoholism change the brain. They also frequently co-occur with mental illness. People with depression, anxiety and other co-occurring disorders may abuse substances to cope with psychiatric symptoms. Alcohol and drug abuse can also bring on psychiatric symptoms. Self-medication is a vicious cycle. These facts dont excuse your loved ones behavior. It doesnt invalidate your feelings of anger and sadness. Those emotions are legitimate reactions. Addiction education serves you by helping you understand how your addict spouse got here and what they need to get better.
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Things To Do When Youre Married To An Addict
Being married to an addict feels like a betrayal. Drugs and alcohol are their priority, not you and your family. You may have tried everything you can think of to help your addicted spouse. Its not working. Youre starting to accept you cant beg, cry, scream or coddle them into sobriety. Heres what you can do.
Be Consistent With Boundaries
Setting boundaries is hard, but then you must also continue to enforce them. Alcoholics and drug addicts test boundaries. Substance abuse wires their brains to continue alcohol or drug abuse at any cost. If youre married to an addict, consistency is key. Be clear about what you wont tolerate and the consequences of their actions. When they cross your boundaries and they likely will enforce those consequences. If you let them get away with something once it sends a message that behavior is acceptable.
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Ways My Husband And I Bond Over Coffee Redhead Mom
As a part of being husband and wife, its still our duty to extend the help that we can offer to fix the marriage. As is the case with many other mental health conditions, porn addiction tends to make alcohol abuse worse, and alcohol abuse tends to make porn addiction worse.
A wifes perspective how is dealing with an alcoholic. A good number of these populations are married.
Alcoholic husband emotional detox orange county alcohol. Abuse of alcohol and porn addiction are frequently present together.
Devostock beautiful couples husband wife drinking canned. According to the police report, she ran away with the palakkad mannarkkad resident whom she met through social media.
Gift for men gift fathers day gift for him boyfriend. Alcohol use disorder is a serious disease that can range from mild to severe.
Gift for men gift fathers day gift for him boyfriend. As a part of being husband and wife, its still our duty to extend the help that we can offer to fix the marriage.
How can you live with an alcoholic spouse courage to. As is the case with many other mental health conditions, porn addiction tends to make alcohol abuse worse, and alcohol abuse.
How do you tell if you have a problem with alcohol i have. Ask him to seek treatment for his alcoholism.
How to deal with your husbands emotional affair. Ask your husband to get treatment.
Image result for my first year sober abuse quotes. Carefully choose your timing and avoid stressful or other inopportune times.
Start Small But Be Prepared To Escalate Your Interventions
An analogy can be made with losing weight. Some people are overweight and want to lose weight, but cant until they get a good reason like going to a school reunion. Other people, though, cant start to lose weight until after they have had a heart attack and the doctor gives them a choice between losing weight or dying. Most people can make changes with extreme circumstances, but there always remains a small percentage who will not, regardless of the risk. Dont assume your spouse will need extreme measures to change, but do understand that you may need to be willing to take extreme measures if the lesser ones dont work.
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I Left My Addicted Husbandand It Saved Our Lives
When youre married to an addict, your whole life turns upside down. Chaos naturally accompanies the disease of addiction. What used to be a happy home can quickly take on the appearance of a circus especially if your spouse is actively abusing drugs.
Theres a wealth of information out there for those looking to help an addicted loved one, but what about helping yourself? What about your feelings, wants and needs?
Its Not Easy To Live With An Addicted Spouse
But, it is not as difficult as continuing to have a relationship in which you feel unimportant, neglected, and mistreated. If you want to leave your relationship, then by all means get out. But, if you want to save your relationship, you are not going to do that by being patient or by being threatening. It will take tough love, which is to say loving messages combined with firm boundaries. Do what you can. Get help if you need to, but dont just adjust to an addiction which is preventing both you and your spouse from enjoying your relationship.
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How To Deal With A Drug Addict Husband
Marital bliss can quickly take a downward spiral when one discovers certain physical and behavioral changes in their better half. An addiction to drugs can cause spontaneous and unpleasant changes to your spouse in many ways even with their attempts to conceal the situation from you. It is a fact that illicit drug use can negatively impact marital satisfaction and can be a problem for both genders. The use of drugs has contributed significantly to the dissolution of many marriages this is because of the feigned commitment and incessant physical and emotional instability that the wife may have to endure in these situations.
Addiction can be regarded as chink in the armor of a near-perfect marriage as living with an addicted spouse can present uncertainties, anxiety, despair, and other problems. According to statistics, drugs and AUD is one of the highest causes of divorce in the US. The predictions for more divorce cases in the future are extremely high due to the ever-increasing cases of addiction to drugs.
If You Are Still Wondering If The Individual Is Abusing Drugs Or Alcohol These Are The Signs Of To Look For:
- Alcohol or drug use interferes with school or work activities because of being hungover or sick.
- The person drinks or uses drugs knowing that they will be driving, boating, or doing something else that would be risky if impaired.
- The individual experiences memory loss or blackouts.
- Accidents or injuries occur after drug or alcohol use.
- The person uses drugs or alcohol even though there are physical conditions that can worsen because of substance use.
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Surround Yourself With Support
Treating porn addiction can be a lonely road. Due to shame, guilt, and embarrassment, you may choose to shy away from people and deal with the experience on your own.
However, emotions need a safe place to be expressed. If not with friends and family, turn to support groups for overcoming your husbands porn addiction.
Get Your Loved One The Help They Need Our Substance Use Disorder Program Accepts Many Health Insurance Plans This Is Our Residential Program
Coping with spousal addiction can turn your entire life upside down. All the trust that was built throughout the relationship slowly disintegrates, and then is gone. A major part of any substance addiction that involves your spouse will result in great lengths being taken to hide their addiction. Yet, while it may seem like a simple solution to divorce a drug addict, its usually not that easy on any level. Youve invested fully in a life with this person, and, put simply, you love them. You share an adult life together one thats often difficult to walk away from.
Being the spouse of an addict can be a complete and utter personal nightmare if you dont have the right guidance and assistance, as some form of codependence may also be intrinsic in the relationship. Addressing something as huge as your spouses addiction may feel just too overwhelming for the codependent partner, it may even be something they often try to ignore or dismiss, or simply make excuses for.
For example, you may not even know what to say to an addict you love. This can leave you quietly trying to deal with a drug-addicted spouse, a dysfunctional family life, and confused and miserable children often as confused and miserable as you.
Did you know that statistics clearly demonstrate two-thirds of domestic violence stems directly from alcohol abuse? Certainly not an environment that is at all good for you or your children.
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