Dangerous Addictions: The Effects Of Chemical Dependency On Your Libido

If you have a chemical dependency problem, it may eventually affect your libido. Libido describes your interest in intimacy with your loved one. Chemical dependency can create many side effects, such as anxiety, anger and a loss of energy when you don't have access to drugs or alcohol. Because a strong libido depends on being personally, physically and emotionally healthy, you may have problems with intimacy. You can protect your relationship and health by seeking treatment for your chemical dependency. Here's what happens to your libido when you can't have the drug or alcohol of your choice - and what you can do to stop it.

How Does Chemical Dependency Change How You Feel?

The chemicals you abuse typically affect the natural chemicals in your brain that make you feel different emotions or feelings. Alcohol and drugs have the ability to change how you feel, think and react to different things. They do this by suppressing the negative emotions you experience in times of stress or anxiety.

Alcohol and drugs can also increase your "happy" emotions. For example, certain street drugs like heroin can trigger feelings of great euphoria once you inject it into your body. As with a number of other drugs, heroin tends to be highly addictive, which makes it hard to stop once you use it.

You may seem happier and more alive in your marriage when you use the drug or drink the alcohol of your choice. However, there's one problem you might face. The good feelings you experienced in the beginning of your alcohol or drug abuse eventually slow down or stop. When this happens, you begin to use the substance all the time in order to bring back that level of happiness and control.

In addition, your relationship with your spouse or loved one suffers. Instead of feeling happy, alive and energetic, you may even lose interest in your life, including your relationship. This loss of interest could be the beginning stages of a poor libido.

What Is a Low Libido?

If you can't obtain your drug or alcohol of choice, you may become angry or withdrawn from your spouse. These negative emotions and feelings may lower your desire for intimacy by making you feel tired, depressed or ill. You may shut down verbally and emotionally when your loved one or spouse tries to communicate with you.

Your lack of libido may create negative feelings in your loved one or spouse as well. For instance, the person may experience hostility, anger and even a feeling of neglect toward you. If the negative feelings increase, the loved one may choose to leave the relationship.

What Can You Do to Kick Your Chemical Dependency?

In order to get your life back and develop a stronger relationship with your loved one, you must be willing to seek help for your chemical dependency. You may consider joining an alcohol and drug abuse center or program that works with you individually.

The program you choose to join may offer:

• Residential assistance: If your addiction requires 24-hour treatment to control, you may choose to stay at the center to receive your care.
• Counseling: Counseling helps you come to terms with the root of your addiction, as well as the consequences it has on your libido.
• Support: Support comes in many forms when you join a drug and alcohol program. The most effective is group support because it gives you a chance to discuss your addiction in the company of your peers, or people who have addictions themselves.

The treatment you receive through your program may help you regain your zest for life and intimacy again. It does this by helping you overcome your chemical dependency. You can click here to read more about overcoming chemical dependency.

If you feel like your life is spiraling out of control, contact a chemical dependency representative or program in your area. The faster you seek and get help, the healthier your life and relationship will become.