Sometimes people discover divorce rates after sobriety who they really are in recovery and grow apart. Others find the burden is too heavy and decide to end their relationships. I don’t think my husband and I ever really knew each other until I got sober.
Getting Treatment
During grad school, she treated clients involved in the legal system as well as at a detox facility. After graduating, Karlie gained experience working in a residential program for eating disorders and a private practice before joining the AspenRidge team. In other words, in some individuals, casual use may morph into dependency for many different reasons. Some individuals are predisposed to alcohol problems due to genetics and socioeconomic factors. Others are battling underlying mental health issues and are choosing alcohol to self-medicate.
- You might find yourself struggling with a variety of emotions and second-guessing yourself.
- Analyses were completed using Stata Software, release 17 (StataCorp LLC).
- Likewise, the Herron Project hosts live online support groups led by licensed clinicians.
- I don’t think that is a subset that’s ever been studied scientifically.
- Seeking divorce from an addicted spouse can be a complicated and emotional process.
Mental Illness and Addiction and Divorce Statistics
He didn’t like going to AA and he continued to party with his old drinking buddies after work. Angie, his wife, finally divorced him, and Ted’s access to his children was limited by the courts when Ted refused to submit to random drug testing. Hailing from Boulder County, Courtney embarked on her academic journey by earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She furthered her education by completing a master’s of science in clinical mental health counseling from Capella University.
What Happens When You Divorce an Alcoholic?
Addressing whether or not your partner is struggling with addiction can lead to much anxiety and even fear that they could be in danger. Whether confronting them for the first time, discussing treatment, or staging an intervention, the stress of addiction in marriage can be intense. In addition, many who abuse drugs or alcohol may experience sexual dysfunction. Research has found illicit drug use can cause erectile dysfunction (ED), decreased sexual desire, and increased ejaculation latency. While sexual satisfaction is not always dependent on performance, these factors can still harm the relationship.
Family Instability
Medical detox programs provide medical care and support during the early stages of withdrawal to ensure your spouse’s safety and lessen their discomfort. Addiction affects not just the addict but everyone around them—their partner, children, family, and friends. It’s important to remember that while your spouse needs and deserves help, you also deserve support and treatment for the stress and trauma you may be going through. Addicted individuals in a codependent relationship may use their codependency to manipulate their spouse’s emotions and behaviors. They may also perceive themselves as unable to get sober, or unable to maintain recovery from addiction without significant financial and emotional support from their spouse.
Learn about substance use disorder
- It might include covering for a spouse when concerned family members recognize signs of alcohol issues.
- The culture shock, strains of a new marriage, being so far removed from family and familiarity, and the job… oh my God, the job.
- Outside of work, she’s a devotee of Krishna, and her friends call her Karunya Shakti, which means compassionate energy.
- Sometimes people discover who they really are in recovery and grow apart.
But I do believe we are responsible for the consequences of our actions. I took an untrusting wife and proved to her that she was right. I didn’t destroy our finances and I was never arrested. I never lost a job, never got into a bar fight and we almost completely shielded our children. When I got sober, I thought I had avoided major calamity. I wasn’t afraid of the work of recovery, and I thought I was going to make it out of addiction unscathed.
