Married to Addiction: Signs of Drug Use

On your wedding day, you look across to someone you love and make promises of forever.

Although your vows may have included “in sickness and in health,” addiction may not have been the sickness you were expecting. Substance use disorders can wreak havoc on a marriage and without help, could put your holy matrimony on the fast track to divorce. 

Warning Signs Your Spouse is An Addict or Using Drugs 

Although many people believe that recognizing the signs of drug addiction in a spouse would be easy, the initial red flag may not always be so clear. The changes in your spouse might be minor at first, but over time they can become more concerning and put a greater strain on your relationship. The best way to help your addicted spouse and potentially save your marriage is to recognize the signs your spouse is abusing drugs or alcohol early. The sooner you notice a problem and can get them into a residential treatment program, the better off you both will be.

Some signs of drug use in your spouse may include:

• Social withdrawal- Your spouse may pull away from you, their family, and their friends. 
• Frequent lying- To keep their loved ones from worrying about them or questioning their substance use, many people with addiction problems will lie to cover their tracks
• Missing money- Substance abuse problems are expensive to maintain. If money is missing and necessities aren’t being paid, it may be going to drugs instead. 
• Doctor shopping- If your spouse is addicted to prescription drugs, they will likely engage in doctor shopping to maintain a steady supply of medications.
• Weight changes- It is natural for people to experience weight fluctuations, but when your spouse is an addict these changes can be dramatic and sudden. 
• Neglected responsibilities- When your shared responsibilities go from 50/50 to 80/20, there may be a drug problem. Addicts will often prioritize their addiction over everything else, and as a result, other things fall to the wayside. 
• Trouble at Work- One of the biggest signs of drug use in a spouse is trouble at work. At this point, your spouse is losing control of their substance abuse and started to let it impact both their home and work life. 
• Decline in Hygiene- When your spouse is an addict, they may be so preoccupied with their drug use, that they start to neglect their personal appearance. They may not shave for far longer than normal or start wearing dirty clothes regularly. 
• Abnormal sleeping habits- People abusing drugs and alcohol can develop some strange sleep habits. If your husband or wife stops coming to bed at a normal time, is sleeping at all hours of the day, or doesn’t sleep at all, it may be because of substance abuse. 
• Mood swings- As your spouse becomes dependent on these substances, their mood may become more erratic. Withdrawal can lead to mood swings and misplaced anger. At this point, a medical detox with 24/7 supervision would be the best way to help them quit their substance abuse.