Addiction destroys relationships. Recovery can too!
While recovery can be a life saving change for the addict, it can be completely destabilizing for the couple.
“Shouldn’t it all be better, after all my wife isn’t drinking anymore?“
Addiction and recovery can take a heavy toll on love relationships. Addicts and partners of addicts often feel desperate, confused and misunderstood while in the midst of the addiction. The same feelings can be present once the addiction behavior has stopped. The cause may have changed but the feelings may be the same. Much of addiction treatment is focused on helping the addict get and maintain sobriety /recovery but often little attention is paid to the damage done within the relationship. Couples often need help adjusting to the changes that accompany recovery. Couples therapy can provide a safe place to address these changes and re-wire the relationship from old to new.
What needs to happen to get the relationship back on track?