Rebuilding and Repairing Relationships After Addiction Archstone Behavioral Health

This analogy may seem dramatic, but it accurately reflects the struggle to repair relationships broken by addiction. It’s important to remember that rebuilding your life after addiction you don’t have to go through this alone. There are tips and resources available to help you along your SUD and relationship recovery journey.

Relationship Recovery Is Critical for Addiction Recovery

Early in recovery, it can be hard to convince people that you’re serious about repairing what was broken by addiction. This is especially true for those whose family and friends have gotten accustomed to hearing excuses and false promises. Parents and grandparents are often someone’s first source of physical, emotional, and financial support.

• Nevertheless, substances can permanently alter your brain chemistry and personality.
• Counseling is another effective option that allows individuals to work on communication skills and build healthy relationships.
• They probably blame themselves and the way they raised you for your addiction.
• Without honest communication, both people can end up feeling misunderstood and mistreated, she adds.
• At best, this will cause you to neglect your relationships; at worst, you may actively harm those close to you.
• In fact, it may take years for your relationships to once again become as strong as they were before addiction.

Step 4: Be realistic and resist the urge to control every aspect of the relationship.

In the throes of addiction, you likely underwent many profound personality changes. These changes may have negatively affected your ability to properly manage your family relationships, marriages or even friendships. Throughout your addiction cycle, you may have become totally unrecognizable to these important people. You may think that these relationships are virtually beyond repair, but that’s just not true. Once the dust settles after going through rehab, you can start reconnecting with family and rebuilding relationships after addiction.

Emotional toll on loved ones

When a person gets out of a treatment program, they’re going to need their loved ones for support. Our goal is to make sure you can work on rebuilding trust and mending the bridges burned by addiction. Professional counseling or therapy can be instrumental in rebuilding trust and healing damaged relationships. Family therapy at The Hendrick’s House Group can provide a safe space for families to address past hurts, explore feelings, and work together towards reconciliation.

When an individual decides to admit to substance abuse, they must first acknowledge that they have a problem. This admission requires individuals to shift their perspective and recognize how substance abuse has affected their lives negatively. Admitting to substance abuse not only helps individuals take responsibility for their actions but also allows them to communicate their struggles with loved ones or medical professionals. Boundaries are parameters you set in a relationship to make sure both parties are accountable for their own emotional well-being.

We believe in treating not just the addiction but the relationships between loved ones. If you or a loved one needs help with substance abuse, contact JourneyPure today. Don’t let things pile up in your relationship until you’re ready to explode. Don’t mention that your loved one has a particular point of view because they are an addict or in recovery. Going for help is positive and should never be used against someone to tear them down. Friends and family members need to see you “walking the walk” to demonstrate that you are serious about your recovery.

Consequences of Addiction on Close Friends and Family