When you married your spouse, you probably never imagined that you would have to think about divorce because of a drug addiction. For people who are married to addicts, there comes a point where the love that they once had becomes more of a feeling of pity. This coupled with the frustration of the addict pulling you down can be more than you can handle. Plus, if you have children, you need to think about them when you are trying to decide what to do.
One thing is certain in these situations — you need to make sure that you protect your interests if you are heading toward a divorce. As sad as it might be, the addicted person might try to suck you dry before the divorce is finalized.
As soon as you decide that you can’t or won’t deal any longer, you need to make sure that you find ways to separate your finances. Be sure to do this in a legal way so that you don’t end up in trouble in the future.
You might find that you are in an emotionally difficult situation right now. Finding help at this point might be necessary. Not only do you need to think about keeping your bank account and credit score safe, but you also need to make sure that you aren’t suffering through depression and anxiety because of this. It is an emotional time, but support groups and counselors might help you to find ways to work through the feelings.
From a practical standpoint, one of the best things that you can do is to learn what rights you have. You need to learn how you can protect your children and walk away in the best shape possible considering the circumstances.
Source: Dear Wiz, “Divorcing a Drug Addicted Husband,” accessed Jan. 11, 2018