You met someone special; You undergo the typical stages of your relationship, from the nervous beginnings to the more committed stages.
Finally, you take your relationship to the next level, moving on with each other before making a more serious commitment by getting engaged and married. Maybe you decide to start a family, maybe not.
But then, over time, the little things get bigger, you start fighting more and more, there is a lack of intimacy, and even worse, a complete lack of interest in other people.
Divorce was decided.
That description may seem short and to the point, but it is far more difficult for people than you may realize. People have difficulty with change, particularly significant changes in their lives. Some people deal with it as trauma. Others struggle to find healthy ways to adapt and accept new realities.
Sometimes people adopt healthy coping mechanisms, but other times, they’ve since Divorce can be stressful and traumatic, these coping strategies may be less helpful. People often turn to self-destructive behaviors such as alcohol or substance abuse as a way to escape the fears of divorce.
Infidelity and financial stress are two of the most common reasons for divorce, even though substance abuse is behind them.
The average age of Americans filing for divorce is 30, and adults ages 25-34 are more prone to substance abuse than any other age group. What’s more, people suffering from alcohol abuse or dependence have significantly higher divorce rates than other groups.
Addiction also affects many other areas of the sufferer’s life besides their marriage.
- Financial problems are more common
- Addiction becomes a bigger precedence in the life of the sufferer
- Emotional abuse and distress became more common
- Loss of trust and lack of communication strained their relationship even more
- Children of parents with addiction problems are more likely to use drugs or alcohol
- Children from divorced households are more likely to experience divorce themselves
It’s common for people going through a divorce to experience a broad range of emotions, from sorrow to grief and even anger. That The divorce process can be difficultcomplex, and overwhelming, so it is very important for people going through a divorce to lean on their support group and find healthy coping mechanisms.
Sometimes, although, relationships damaged by addiction and dependency can survive through addiction, but doing so requires working towards treatment and rehabilitation.
In the case of divorce based on an addiction problem, finding appropriate treatment and therapy options that will help overcome addiction but also provide a healthier living foundation by examining the underlying problems related to addiction will help the relationship and the co-sufferer.
Types of Therapy Available
Finding addiction treatment can take different forms depending on the person’s addiction. Some may have the ability to get help through traditional speech and behavioral therapy, while others may need medical help.
The key to therapy is recovery and long-term help against relapse.
Behavior Therapy
The most common form of treatment and recovery is behavior in practice and design.
For example, in behavior therapy, you will do talk therapy either in private, in a family, or in a group setting to address addiction triggers and build coping mechanisms and skills to avoid cravings to consume.
There are a wide range of behavioral therapies to select from;
- Sports rehabilitation services – focuses on physical activity as a way to deal with stress and the triggers that lead to negative behavior
- Christian rehabilitation services – focus on creating pathways to deeper understanding and the ability to look within the scriptures for support in difficult times
- Hypnotherapy – focuses on changing the perception of the triggers that lead to addiction
- Art, Music and Creative Therapy – emphasis on providing mental catharsis and outlet for stress that leads to negative behavior
Drug Assisted Treatment (MAT)
In more harsh cases of addiction, medicine may be needed and diagnosed by a board-certified addiction specialist. In such cases, MAT courses are recommended, and non-addictive medicines are prescribed to help with the withdrawal and cravings related to addiction.
MAT stands for medication-assisted treatment and doesn’t address the underlying root reason for addiction but treats physical and psychological dependence.