Things will not get better just because you wish they would. The man I love just admitted to me that he’s addicted to pain meds. I’m hurting behind this because that was the loving an addict man I wanted to marry and have his child 🥲 keep me in prayer while I keep you all in prayer. However he spents a lot of time with his friend, who are addicts as well.
Consider this your last chance to salvage the relationship and let the addict prove they’re ready to change. Another key portion of seeking help for yourself is to learn as https://ecosoberhouse.com/ much as possible about addiction. Educate yourself about the dangers of addiction, preventing relapse, and everything you can learn about helping someone with an addiction.
What are the benefits of involving partners in addiction treatment?
Not only do you have to face the frustration of watching your loved one struggle with their addiction, but there’s also the fear that you could become addicted too. It is important to understand that you might be just as “addicted” to your enabling behaviors as the addict in your life is to his or her manipulations. Whatever your particular situation is, acceptance of what you are dealing with in your life is the first survival tip for loving an addicted person. I’ve worked with plenty of addicts, but the words in this post come from loving one. I have someone in my life who has been addicted to various substances.
A sober person has unlearned negative patterns of thinking and behavior and has formed a new life without substances. 12-step programs like the ones used in AA can help promote abstinence as well as help build healthy relationships between peers, friends, and family. If a loved one is struggling with drug addiction, it is important to let them know that you are there and that you care for them. Signs of addiction may be hard to recognize as people may try to hide their addiction, or the signs may coincide with something else, like another mental health condition. One is physical or chemical addiction, which involves substances like alcohol, prescription drugs, or illicit drugs.
Living with an Addict is Exhausting and Heartbreaking
She is able to spend weeks without cocaine only because I am unable to afford it and as it is we are in precarious financial situations because I have no real form of monetary help. She cannot be trusted with cash, she had taken wads I set aside just because and I have to hide my wallet when at home. I love her so much and I know I can’t live like this but it’s so difficult to separate especially with kids involved. I never expected to be having the thoughts I am having and the feelings I am feeling I thought she was everything I needed. Addiction is much more than just a disease as mentioned and I always refer to it as our problem because she is not the only one going through the problem.
As the addicted person becomes more focused on their addiction, they may resort to lying to protect their partner from getting hurt or to feel free to use drugs without judgment. You often don’t consciously choose to play an enabling role and it instead unknowingly happens over time. It might happen because you are in a codependent relationship, where there is a lack of boundaries that consider each partner’s needs as equally important.
See if you or a loved one needs substance use or mental health support
One important part of convincing someone to get treatment is making them aware and helping them understand how their actions have affected them and everyone around them. Referring someone to professional help can take the load off you while still giving the person the resources they need if they want to get help. Sometimes, a person may get to a point where they feel they have done everything they can to help a person. In some cases, the help you are giving may be doing more harm than good. Someone struggling emotionally may be hesitant to reach out for help because they don’t know who to turn to or how to get help.
There is support available to put you in the best position to help yourself and your addicted loved one. Love addiction is a controversial and highly debated condition. Some may argue we are all at risk of having some level of love addiction potential.
Addiction Treatment Programs
If self-care practices aren’t enough, know that it’s ok for you to reach out for help, even if your spouse isn’t ready. Getting your own therapy, obtaining a Family Recovery Coach, and attending support groups for family members like Mountainside’s offerings or Al-Anon/Nar-Anon can be great resources. If you’re reading this thinking, “I’m in love with a drug addict, should I leave? ” Sadly, many occasions can cause you to leave your addicted partner. No matter how much you love them, the emotional burden of caring for an addict can become unbearable. Sometimes, to protect yourself, you may have to serve ties.
They may also benefit from family therapy accompanied by mentoring and companioning. Standing by and observing the certain destruction of someone you love can be devastating. Alcoholism and drug dependence can affect all aspects of the life of the addict, as well as friends and family. The most serious and troubling effect is the damage that occurs in the brain and the thought processes of an addict.