Addiction tears away at just about every aspect of a person’s life. The physical health of an addicted person deteriorates rapidly. Psychological problems which may have led to an addiction are complicated by drugs and alcohol, and alcoholics and drug addicts develop psychological problems from their substance abuse. Families are strained to the breaking point. But certainly one of the most delicate relationships to suffer from addiction and alcoholism is a romantic relationship. Couples of all sorts are damaged and destroyed by addiction.
The first course of action for couples is to get the addicted person into treatment. Nothing can be done until the drug and alcohol use is stopped for good. A temporary remission from substance abuse may seem appealing but an addicted person needs to learn to stop for good. If not, the stresses and strains on the relationship come back with a fury and the damage is compounded. Only a complete addiction recovery program can offer any hope of repairing the damage done to a relationship from drug addiction and alcoholism.
What is more, as the addicted person undergoes therapies to manage their addiction, emotions, and coping skills so as to learn to live a life free of drugs and alcohol. The spouse or partner must also undergo counseling and education in order to properly understand all that has happened. The partner of an addicted person often feels neglected or abused as a result of the destructive behaviors brought on by drugs and alcohol. Many partners have been physically abused and this requires a specific type of counseling. But with the proper treatment and counseling, both partners can be educated to understand the addiction. And what will be necessary to live their new life together after recovery.
Recovery and Relationships Analysis
In the final analysis, the addicted person may well make a full recovery from drug and alcohol treatment. The couple after will need special attention which can only come from each other. In many ways much of this is up to the person who has suffered from the addiction. There are such an array of destructive behaviors that come from alcoholism and addiction and the person who had undergone treatment must find ways to address these things. A comprehensive treatment program will teach a patient coping skills and skills for dealing with intimate relationships. But the person who has gone through treatment must put these into practice.
The couple should go through couple counseling and many recovery programs offer this. The same methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that teach coping skills and skills to manage emotions can be put to use in these couple counseling sessions.
Though the damage to intimate relationships as a result of drug addiction and alcoholism can be devastating. With the aid of a thorough treatment program, couples can do recover together. In many ways, this joint experience of recovery can bring a couple together in ways they never knew before. The experience of having endured such a struggle, learning new ways of living, and coming back together can strengthen a relationship.
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