The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers. This is especially true for people who are just recovering from addiction. Setting boundaries that will keep you focused on your recovery, and allow you to enjoy healthy relationships, can help keep you away from old triggers or unhealthy relationship patterns. With clear boundaries, you can build a relationship after rehab that doesn’t compromise your sobriety and mental health.
When you find someone you want to start a relationship with, take it slow. This could mean that the first few dates won’t be very “romantic,” or that there’s little physical contact on dates, or that sexual activity is put off for a long period of time. Just like our advice to stay single for a year, this might sound needlessly strict or limiting, but taking it slow allows you to recognize red flags in a potential partner. In codependency, people share the responsibility for the other person’s feelings and actions.
Stress is often the reason that people turn to drugs to feel relief or to “take the edge” off. Rather than entertaining a toxic relationship, it’s better to put distance between yourself and the person so they can change. However, if they can’t make a commitment to change, there is nothing wrong with ending the relationship. After completing addiction treatment, a healthy relationship with a friend, family member, or loved one can provide you with a source of encouragement and support. This is important during recovery as staying sober can be difficult for some people. For those who need less support, the companionship that relationships bring is just as important.
Being in recovery adds another layer of complexity into the situation. Sometimes leaving the relationship can improve recovery while other times, it can make sobriety more challenging to maintain. Because of the complicated nature of leaving relationships in recovery, it is necessary to assess the relationship and determine if it’s helpful or harmful to recover. An addiction to alcohol or drugs like heroin, crystal meth, or prescription painkillers leads to a dysfunctional relationship with yourself. In active addiction, you are unkind to yourself, you abuse your body, and you do things you are not proud of.
By witnessing positive changes and growth in recovery, loved ones may be encouraged to explore their healing process. Sobriety can serve as a powerful example, leading others toward their https://ecosoberhouse.com/ path of personal growth and positive change. Active addiction often causes individuals to prioritize substance abuse over their relationships, leading to emotional disconnection.
