Drug Abuse Impact on Early Phases of Marriage (1 to 5 Years): Exploring the Drug Addicted Wives Experiences

Abstract

The article discusses the experience faced by the wife when their husband is involved in drug abuse. This case study focuses on the impact of drug abusers in their early phase of marriage (from 1 to 5 years of marriage), which is still less emphasized. The study's objective was to explore the experiences of women who lived through at-risk households after being married to a drug addict. The case study uses a qualitative method. A total of ten women were selected as informants using snowball sampling. Data collection was conducted through face-to-face interviews. All informants were divorced before reaching their five years of marriage. The experience in their early phase has shown all informants i) often beaten by the husband, ii) worried about their personal safety due to husband behaviour who is involved in other crimes, iii) dual-burden as the husband does not provide any basic need in the household, and iv) feeling uncomfortable during sexual intercourse due to husband forced and rough behaviour. Although marriage can be a protective factor in avoiding social problems, the drug abuse issues at an early phase, especially within 1 to 5 years of marriage, can cause risk and conflicts in the household. The study implies the importance of specific interventions for women whose husbands are drug-addicted to remain alert and aware of the risk of domestic abuse. It is also crucial for these young mothers to get exposed to existing social support agencies and experts who can be consulted when dealing with drug abuse.