Living with a spousal addiction is often a major trial, and learning to get past the pain it causes can become an integral part of keeping the relationship intact. Some spouses will go through multiple attempts at rehabilitation, but they may slip and slide back into it soon after coming home. There are many frustrations to living with an addict, and there are times when people decide it is time to end the relationship. They find their heart has no more forgiveness left for a partner unwilling or unable to save their own life, and the work of keeping up with them is just too much.
Guilt is often a part of the equation when a person decides it is time to leave an addicted spouse behind. Some of them might feel they could have done more, and others often experience a feeling of failure to endure the conditions. For these people, counselling could be a lifeline that will save them from falling into the depths of depression. While they might understand their spouse was unable to break their addiction, the wear and tear of dealing with it could simply be more than they could handle.
Having their spouse walk away from the relationship is often a time when addicts suddenly become successful at kicking the habit. They may feel their new ability to curb their behaviour should make their former spouse return, but they might need to finally realise they abused the relationship and broke it. The need to escape after years of dealing with a habit can be a major decision, and the spouse walking away has come to the painful realisation their life has been wasted.
An addict must deal with a lifetime of struggle to curb their particular habit, and their spouse generally finds they are always on the lookout to see if they are sliding back into it. The stress and heartbreak of dealing with a spouse’s addiction can turn the relationship sour, and finding no more forgiveness is available means it is time to end it.
