Yes, the relationship between debt and financial hardship can be the result of bad relationships or the other way around. You're right, a bad relationship is never going to go away, whether someone is divorced or stays in a marriage. I've found that in other areas of life, but it's been difficult to understand why. Just because you aren't living with someone doesn't mean that a bad relationship with them, either in past or present, doesn't affect someone.

Obviously living with the wrong person is more difficult, but it in no ways means that not living with them has no effect. Bad relationships take a big toll on mental health and can have long term consequences beyond the immediate physical environment.