Drug Use And Alcoholism Statistics Show Relationship Are Deeply Impacted

Drug addiction and alcoholism statistics are stark. Just looking at American results, it’s estimated that one in eight US citizens has a significant addiction problem, meaning 27 million people drink heavily or take illicit drugs.

What does that mean for the addict’s loved ones? Stress, fear, resentment, despair, confusion…you name it, people in a relationship with an addict pay a heavy price for their loved one’s addiction.

If you’re living together, it’s likely that the addiction will impact your finances, your family life and your intimacy, among many other things. By its very nature, drug or alcohol addiction means users unavoidably display negative behaviors that impact people around them.

So much money will be spent feeding the addiction that your savings and ability to pay the bills may be compromised. Depending on the addict’s level of functionality, his or her work situation-and therefore your joint income-can be jeopardized. Worst case, the addict will forfeit their income by losing a job, leaving the partner to pick up the pieces financially. This often includes the added burden of taking total control of the family finances.

In your home life, an addict’s ability to effectively parent will be impacted, meaning increasing responsibility on the partner to raise the children. This imbalance can lead to resentment and additional time pressures on the functioning parent, who may feel obligated to shield the children from the intoxicated parent because of the language or actions that person displays. Ties are cut, trust is lost. And worse, drug addiction and alcoholism statistics show that children of users and drinkers have a four times greater chance of following in their parent’s addictive footsteps.

Relationship-wise, communication becomes more and more difficult as anger and resentment build. Not to mention the simple fact that it’s very hard to interact with someone who isn’t sober. This lack of sobriety can also inhibit your sexual times together. The addict may be unable to make love, or the partner may not want to be intimate with the addict. People involved with addicts will find themselves on a merry-go-round of fear, helplessness and often depression…and the ride never stops.

You may even find yourselves going down roads you never thought you’d travel. According to Alcoholism-and-Drug-Addiction-Help.com, “Violent behavior attributed to alcohol use accounts for roughly 49% of murders, 52% of rapes, 21% of suicides and 60% of child abuse…Around 90% of property related crimes, especially theft, and 90% of street muggings are made by drug addicts who need money to support their addiction.” These drug use and alcoholism statistics clearly show that addiction can lead to disaster for the user and his or her family.

The only way to offset the consequences of addiction on a relationship is to take action–a treatment program for the addict, combined with a support program for the partner. The good news is, notes the National Institute on Drug Abuse, that having a supportive family member involved in an addict’s treatment and post-treatment life raises the odds that treatment will be successful.

And in this situation, success is what you’re striving for so you can restore harmony to your relationship, finances and home life. You and your family don't have to continue adding to alcoholism statistics.

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