Drugs in a romantic relationship have negative consequences. Addiction is an illness that affects the person who suffers from it, but it ultimately impacts those closest to them. The main people affected are their family and their partner.
It is a multidisciplinary disorder that requires multiple specialists to treat the illness thoroughly and, in this way, help the addicted person stop using. At CCAdicciones, we treat addiction for what it is: an illness. We provide our patients with a detox treatment led by a complete team: experts in addictive behaviours, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, etc.
How does an addiction affect a romantic relationship?
It is clear that addiction completely affects every aspect of that person’s life, including the romantic relationship. Drugs have negative effects on a romantic relationship. Some consequences are:
- Loss of communication
- A tense atmosphere because there are more arguments and disagreements
- Loss of romantic intimacy
- Living together becomes unbearable
Codependency and co-addiction
When faced with an addiction, regardless of what it is, the people who live with the addicted person may become codependent on the person who suffers from the addiction. There are 4 distinct types:
- Direct. The partner directly contributes to their partner’s addiction. So much so that they may offer them the drug directly, give them money they know is to buy substances, or engage in other behaviours that are harmful to the patient. This is a behaviour that completely hinders the recovery process because it makes it easier for their partner to keep using.
- Indirect. Unlike the previous type, an indirect co-addict shows rejection of their partner’s addiction. Even so, their behaviour does not reflect that, because they protect them and lie for them, preventing them from taking responsibility for their actions. Their partner does not do it with bad intentions, but it ends up harming them.
- Tolerant. In this case, the addicted person’s partner takes on a long-suffering role. They do nothing to change the addicted person’s behaviour, and simply watch them self-destruct.
- Persecutor. They act with extreme control. They feel responsible for their partner’s addiction and give everything to try to get them to stop using. Their life revolves around their partner and they depend on them completely.
Treating this disorder is essential, because if an addicted person’s partner develops codependency, not only will they not contribute positively to recovery, but quite the opposite.
Support service for partners and family
Having a person with an addiction in the family often causes deep and ongoing conflict. The illness of addiction is misunderstood in society’s eyes. Therefore, it is also misunderstood by their family, who feel lost, and their loved one’s addiction can end in family breakdown. For drugs in a romantic relationship, we offer a family support service to prevent them from falling into co-addiction. Co-addiction is a common issue in the emotional health of the people around an addicted person. It particularly affects parent/child relationships or, conversely, child/parent relationships, as well as couples.
We provide family and couples therapy: addiction is an illness that also affects the family environment, which does not understand what is happening. At CCAdicciones, we treat the patient and the family together to mitigate the damage and help them understand how addiction alters people emotionally and psychologically, creating a space of renewed trust between patient and family. A new space from which to start building a new life. A co-addicted person focuses most of their life on their addicted partner, even at the expense of their own life. The co-addict may experience anxiety, sadness, anger, confusion and psychosomatic disorders, among many other symptoms. They develop a strong emotional dependence on their partner. They are overwhelmed by thoughts of self-blame and believing they are not doing everything within their power.
We also provide family mediation and counselling. Starting treatment is a time of doubts and certain risks. It is common for the patient to resist receiving help, and also for the family not to know how to communicate with them, how to help them take the step… At CCAdicciones, we have an expert team to advise and mediate in these cases, helping the family and the patient to begin their recovery process… and complete it successfully!
Guidelines to follow if your partner has an addiction
It is normal for an addicted person’s partner to have doubts, fears, incomprehension, uncertainty… The deterioration of the relationship is evident, and it is not easy to know what to do. Watching your partner destroy themselves day after day, breaking promises they have made to you, is not an easy situation to manage.
First of all, you should know that you are not to blame for their addiction, nor are you their guardian angel. The entire responsibility for getting them to stop using does not fall on you. For this, there are specialised centres and professionals who are experts in addiction and have the experience and knowledge needed to make it possible for an addicted person to return to a healthy life free from dependencies.
An addicted person’s usual reaction is not wanting to receive professional help, either because they deny the addiction or because they believe they can achieve it themselves through willpower. They are not aware that addiction is an illness and, like any illness, it requires a professional.
Ask for help for yourself and your partner
To stop drugs in a romantic relationship and be able to have a strong, healthy bond again, treatment is necessary. A detox process for the addicted person combined with therapy for the couple. CCAdicciones is a detox centre specialised in addictions, born from the need to create a specialised treatment to combat addictions. Designed by and for people. With intensive support, special techniques and our own treatment method. You can get in touch with us and call our phone line, active 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: 617 200 882. If you prefer, you can fill out a form and we will contact you.
