The effects of marijuana on relationships is often a very touchy subject. Some people believe that the two should never mix, while others swear by it. This article captures both sides of the story so that you can make an informed decision.
For a relationship to be successful, it takes more than just love–trust and compromise are essential as well. What many people don’t realize is that being in a committed relationship also means both partners need to be free of substance abuse and addiction, including marijuana. Some people might disagree with this statement, but I invite you to think outside the box on this topic. Not everyone who uses marijuana will become addicted or abusive towards their partner; it really depends on the person.
Though marijuana use may seem innocuous at first, it can have profound and detrimental consequences on one’s love life. The initially devil-may-care attitude that many pot smokers adopt quickly leads to a destructive spiral that robs them of everything they once held dear in their relationships. Sadly, marijuana has become widely accepted in society today.
How does marijuana affect your love life?
Based on my experience counseling numerous couples over the years, I firmly believe that marijuana abuse can hinder progress and growth in relationships. Marijuana abuse can directly impact:
- Personal life and friendship
- Intimacy and commitments
- family life and responsibilities
- emotions
Personal life and friendship
If smoking pot turns into an addiction, it takes over the victim’s life. They become consumed by social anxiety and paranoia.
When addiction takes hold, the addict is more likely to become introverted and neglected. They push away close friends and confidants, and replace them with a clique of other addicts trapped in the same habit. These new friends only serve to sink them deeper into their abyss of frustration. The addict loses touch with reality and reason.
Intimacy and commitments
In love life, intimacy is very critical. In fact, according to some studies, it is the glue that holds the relationship together longer. By its very nature, intimacy is about partners being able to see into each other. Precisely, intimacy guarantees a clear perception of an individual’s feelings as well as their partner’s.
Many people believe that marijuana can help improve intimacy in a relationship, but this substance is actually harmful and dangerous. Some individuals wrongly call it the “sacred herb” because it has mood-altering properties that can detach you from your partner’s feelings. Additionally, weed use can lead to memory problems and make honoring commitments difficult – both of which are challenges in any relationship.
Family life and responsibilities
When people get addicted to drugs like marijuana, they start forgetting everything else and only crave the drug. This usually leads to them ignoring their responsibilities at home.Real addicts never care about their children or spouse’s welfare. They live in denial and isolation and become very defensive if someone questions their actions. It is not surprising that such individuals would resort to verbal attacks if questioned about any of their unbecoming behaviors.
The partner who doesn’t use drugs in a relationship where one partner is addicted to marijuana often experiences more psychological trauma than the addict themselves. This can lead to feeling betrayed, tricked, or even that they are getting less out of the relationship. In turn, this might develop into self-blame; taking on responsibility for the addicted partner’s lifestyle choices. And finally, this may spiral into jealousy, rage and self judgement – which are all real ingredients of depression.
If you ask an addict if they still love their spouse, chances are good that they will say yes. But their use of drugs or alcohol is often the real evidence of how they feel.
Marijuana and emotions
People who frequently smoke pot are not usually themselves when they’re high. Studies show that as someone uses drugs more and more, their emotional state gets lower and lower. Unless they’re under the influence, addicts don’t tend to experience much happiness in life. This distorted perspective often leads to problems in personal relationships.
If the couple can’t handle it, they may break up. In some very rare cases, though, the weed-free partner has enough nerve and patience to wait and hope for their smoker spouse to quit on their own. The success rate is often low because addiction typically becomes chronic over time. Most non-smoking partners end up depressed without professional intervention from therapists or psychologists.
How to recover from marijuana addiction
Although it may seem like marijuana and relationships don’t go together, there is hope for those struggling with addiction. Marijuana addiction is a treatable condition, and there are various effective recovery programs available. These programs can help addicts regain their sense of self-respect and integrity and see life in a more positive light. This way, they can be loved again and experience the joys of giving love back to others.
Be patient with your partner as they work to get rid of their addiction. If, after some time has passed, they show no sign of improvement or appreciation for your patience, then you might want to explore other options like:
- seeking help from a psychotherapist
- divorce
You should only consider divorce after you have explored all other available options and failed. Though this therapy is known to shock drug users into reality, it may negatively impact your kids if you have any. So, settle for divorce only if your partner’s marijuana addiction becomes too much over the top or they are clearly on the brink of spinning out of control.