Chemical Dependency and Intimacy Dysfunction: Inextricably Bound

There is a growing awareness that the marital and relationship problems must be addressed and worked upon if the chemically dependent person is going to maintain his or her sobriety. The involvement of the spouse or partner is important because of the family system dynamics that caused, perpetuated, and/or enabled the chemical dependency needs to be addressed and all involved need some treatment. This chapter discusses the common problems encountered by many chemically dependent and codependent couples: codependency, sexual identity conflicts, violence in their relationship, confusion in roles, communication difficulties, unhealthy sexual and intimacy attitudes and values and sexual dysfunctions. It argues that therapists must address the underlying codependency traits in order to begin resolving the intimacy dysfunctions experienced by chemically dependent individuals and their partners in order to begin resolving the intimacy dysfunctions. Violence is an obvious symptom of intimacy dysfunction and obviously a cause, as well, of intimacy dysfunction.