What If Your Spouse Is Drug Addicted?

If your spouse is drug addicted, and by drug addicted, I include alcoholics and prescription drug abusers, it does not make him or her a bad person. But your spouse has a disease that if untreated could be fatal.

No-one knows how many people are drug addicted but it is in the many millions. So many people are drug addicted that in the industrialized world, there are Alcoholics Anonymous and other support group meetings throughout the day and night, every day of the year.

Your job is not to blame and punish your spouse, but to be compassionate and to help organize an intervention. And if that intervention is successful, to raise the money to send your spouse to a drug treatment center.

Your condemnation is inappropriate, however damaging and hurtful your spouse's conduct has been and your love, hope, forgiveness and support are vital, during treatment and thereafter.

However, if your spouse refuses intervention, you are living with a person who will continue to choose his or her drug of choice over you, despite the promises that are made for the drug monster has taken over.

The situation will get worse and more desperate. You must be prepared to put this person out, allowing them to hit rock bottom and hopefully then seek support. And if you have children it is crucial that you protect them by putting this person out, even if your children may beg you not to do it.

This is extremely difficult to do but if you do not do it, you will be an enabler allowing your spouse to postpone the inevitable rock bottom. This is not the person you married but an addict who will sacrifice you and anyone else to get their drug or drugs of choice.

But even after completing drug treatment and attending support meetings, statistically your spouse is likely to "fall off the wagon," and need to return to a drug treatment center one or more times.

But if he or she is determined to become sober, eventually they will. There are many instances of recovering addicts then remaining sober for the rest of their lives.

However hard this journey has been for you, do not give up hope. There are many millions of people who are suffering just as you are and there are many support groups ready to help you and your family.

Dick