Addiction recovery and relationships can be difficult subjects to navigate. It is essential to recognize that relationships can impact addiction recovery, both positively and negatively. Toxic relationships can cause a person in recovery to feel overwhelmed and unsupported, leading them to relapse or further substance misuse.
While rebuilding your physical health is a large part of recovery, rebuilding relationships is also essential. Addiction recovery can be a long and difficult journey without a strong support system. As humans, relationships are at the core of our existence. A strong support system in recovery can keep you focused and balanced; toxic relationships can put your recovery at risk. To learn more about addiction recovery and relationships, contact Vertava Health at 844.470.0410 today. Our family addiction therapy programs know that avoiding toxic relationships and addiction recovery go hand-in-hand. Our qualified professionals can help you and your loved ones build a strong support system and maintain sobriety.
Toxic Relationships and Addiction Recovery
To protect your recovery, certain personality types should be avoided:
- The critic – You have likely experienced a critic in your life. A person who finds subtle (or, maybe not so subtle) ways to let you know that nothing you do is good enough. In recovery, the critic will remain focused on your faults, despite all the hard work you’ve done.
- The coddler – The coddler will want to protect you from temptations and situations, which also means protecting you from opportunities to grow in your recovery. They will also try to control your behavior, which can be dangerous and derail progress in your recovery.
- The enabler – The opposite of the critic is the enabler. Enablers may make excuses for you or encourage you to continue using drugs or alcohol even when it puts your well-being at risk. They may not understand that addiction is a real disease or that real help is available.
- The undercover – People who are still actively using or addicted may see your successful recovery as a threat to their lifestyle. The undercover will encourage you to drink or use in order to feel better about their own behaviors.
- The blamer – The blamer is always ready to blame your addiction on you or someone else rather than accepting their own part in the situation. This type of person will continue to point fingers and pass judgment even when they should be offering understanding and support.
- The reminiscer – The past is an unhealthy place to get stuck. The reminiscer doesn’t just live in the past. They remind you of it often. They’ll focus on your addiction and shameful things that may have happened while you were actively addicted. They can’t move beyond these painful topics because they gain strength and self-confidence from the misfortune of others.
- The narcissist – A person with narcissistic tendencies will focus more on their own needs than the needs of other people, including yours.
It is important to remember that you cannot change someone else’s behavior, but you can protect yourself and your recovery from toxic relationships by avoiding these types of people and seeking out positive influences in your life. For those in recovery, associating with negative attitudes and behavior can be contagious.
Addiction Recovery and Relationships
When it comes to addiction recovery, relationships are essential. The healthy ones are. No one in this world is perfect. It’s unfair to yourself to believe you’ll be able to completely avoid anyone who falls into the above categories. However, you want to build relationships with people with healthy traits and habits. For example, safe people may include:
- Those who demonstrate respect for you on a consistent basis
- Those who communicate with you respectfully, openly, and honestly
- Those who are open to learning
- Those who engage in mutually beneficial relationships
Healthy relationships provide much-needed support for those in recovery. It is important to be aware of the dynamics of any relationship and build a strong support system with people who have your best interests at heart.
Vertava Health Teaches Healthy Relationships
At Vertava Health, our family addiction therapy program can help you learn how to develop healthy relationships with yourself and others. Our qualified professionals will work closely with you to identify the toxic behaviors in your life that may be preventing sobriety and help to create an individualized treatment plan for your recovery. Contact us today at 844.470.0410 to learn more about how we can help you build healthy relationships in addiction recovery.
