Effects+on+the+Marriage

__ 1. The Strain on the Marriage __
Addiction is one of the top ten reasons a marriage will end in divorce. When alcoholism is a factor in marriage it often becomes difficult to keep the bond in the marriage strong. When a person becomes addicted to a substance, most of their energy and attention is directed towards the addiction. This can cause for a person to disregard their spouse and neglect the damage that the alcohol is causing in the relationship with their spouse. (Galamba, 2013) When alcoholism is present in a marriage, communication and intimacy begin to disappear. Alcohol can destroy many aspects of a relationship and overtime the relationship becomes more negative than it is positive. In these relationships trust is often broken and resentment forms. (Perkins, 2007)

__ 2. Money Issues __
When alcohol is such a big part of a person life, a lot of their time and money goes towards supporting the addiction. This person may also be unable to hold a job because of the addiction. This can cause for bills and debts to begin piling up. In some cases this problem can become so bad, that the basic needs of the abuser and their family cannot be met. When a situation like this occurs, it places a lot of additional stress on the spouse of the abuser and his or her family. (Wolfe, 2005)

__ 3. Abusing their spouse __
A substance abuser can often be hard to deal with and their moods and behaviors can be unpredictable. Alcohol can cause major changes in an individual’s personality. Mood swings and aggression are common symptoms of a substance abuser. (Palmera,2009) This negative change in personality can frequently leave the non-alcoholic spouse feeling emotionally hurt, and this puts a strain in the bond in the relationship between themselves and their spouse. In some cases, this abuse can become physical. In most cases of domestic violence the abuser was a substance abuser. However, abuse is not always as extreme as physical and mental abuse. Abuse can be neglect because the substance abusing spouse in unable to meet the needs of the spouse, and the needs of their relationship.