A relationship is as fragile as a mirror. It needs to be maintained well or else it will just crack and crumble. While the initial stages of a relationship are always full of fun and frolic, the later stages truly puts the love to test. After a couple has passed the ‘all is well’ phase, comes the time of true adjustments. The greatest challenge ahead is learning to live with your partner’s habits.
Addictions create major relationship problems, whether they are cases of substance abuse or addiction to gaming and talking on phone. Chain smoking is any day more harmful than playing angry birds for 7 straight hours. But in both cases, the time you spend with your partner is severely curtailed.
What are the addictions people succumb to?
Addictions can be anything that a person is so dependent upon that he just cannot give it up, it can range from something as dangerous as smoking, gambling, excessive drinking, tobacco consumption etc. to something as annoying as getting glued to the TV serials, gossiping over the phone etc. International games like ‘Sims’ and ‘angry birds’ or other such pastime activities are addictive and may soon take a toll on relation without your notice.
A habit takes a lot of time to become an addiction. It is going to take equal amount of time and effort to break free from it. By just giving an ultimatum such as, ‘either you chose me or your cigarettes’ is only going to end nastily.
Coping together
The solution to tackle addiction is to help your partner sail through it, making him realize that he is not alone. Unconditional support is the key to get him or her out of the habit. While not being preferred over the addiction can be disappointing, one must not imply bigger conclusions out of it that can affect the relationship. Nobody likes marriage on-the-rocks.
Communicate your feelings and express your dismay over how their addictions interfere with the quality time you want to spend with them. Share your concerns about the repercussions of the addiction and that you will do all that it takes to help him or her out of it. This way, your partner would want to come out of the addiction thus making your relationship steadier, happier and stronger.