How an Obsession Can Ruin Your Marriage

Many of us have things that we like a lot. While it’s nice to have interests, sometimes a person might like something a bit too much and think about it all the time. Some bad habits can turn into obsessions, like substance abuse and gambling. Sometimes people start hoarding items, and this obsession can ruin a marriage. Some couples have divorced over obsessions.

One marriage was ruined over a woman’s obsession with cats. The husband was tired of dealing with his wife’s feline frenzy. The 70-year-old man from Singapore was driven out of his home due to his wife’s cat obsession. He moved out in 2006 after dealing with it for a decade.

The woman, 67, developed a cat obsession after a dream she had of her late mother. In the dream, her mother said to be nice to the cats. She was under the impression that doing so would be the only way she could “cross into Paradise.” She started going around feeding stray cats. She would then  bring them back home and add them to her “collection.”

The cats roamed the home freely, going to the bathroom all over the place. The husband could no longer stand sleeping on the bed. The smell was so bad that even the neighbors complained. The final straw was when the man was sleeping and a cat urinated on his face. He left to go live with his brother-in-law and has not returned since 2007.

Why is Obsession Bad?

Obsession causes a person to fixate on things that aren’t important to the marriage or life in general. An obsession can control one’s life. This can cause one or both spouses to lose interest in the marriage.

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) often manifests in one’s teen or early adult years, although older people can develop it as well. Sometimes a single event—such as the dream the woman had about her mother—can trigger an obsession. OCD often involves rituals, such as organizing things or washing hands constantly.

Obsessive behavior is also bad because it can lead to depression. A person can also feel anxious, worthless, restless and fatigued from their addiction. In the past, OCD was pretty much untreatable. A person lived with these thoughts for the rest of their lives. Now, there are medications and behavioral therapies that can help a person live as normal as a life as possible and preserve their relationships.

Seek Legal Help

While it’s good to have hobbies and interests, too much of something can be bad for a relationship. Moderation is recommended, and when something turns into an obsession, it can take its toll on a marriage.

If you or your spouse is struggling with an addiction, therapy can help. You both, however, need to be willing to work on your marriage. If not, then divorce may be the answer. Get help from Fort Lauderdale divorce attorney Edward J. Jennings, P.A. He can guide you through the divorce process. To schedule a consultation, fill out the online form or call our office at 954-764-4330.

Resource:

yahoo.com/lifestyle/man-divorces-wife-45-years-110400173.html

https://www.ejj-law.com/should-you-consider-divorce-funding/