One of the things that people often lose while in active addiction are the relationships that they once held dear. This is because addiction has one goal and that is to feed itself, so any sense of others quickly goes out the window. Now, in recovery, relationships are often the thing that people want to get back the quickest. However, relationships affected by addiction take time to mend. This is especially true if these relationships are to remain healthy in long-term recovery.
Repairing Relationships in Recovery
As with anything worthwhile, repairing relationships in recovery takes time. The truth is that some relationships may never be mended at all, and that is simply the reality of addiction. Now, the best thing to do in this situation is to make amends and do right by them by allowing them the space they need to heal.
However, most relationships will heal in recovery with the right amount of work and time put into them. This may include committing to staying a member of a recovery community and keeping one’s recovery at the forefront so others no longer have to worry about a loved one being in danger due to their addiction. It may also include “making amends” (as it is called in 12-Step recovery). This means apologizing for past transgressions and being willing to take the next right steps to make up for those mistakes. Yes, this can go a long way toward making once-strained relationships healthy again. There will inevitably be new relationships made in recovery as well.
What Do New Healthy Relationships Look Like in Early Recovery
Most of the new healthy relationships made in early recovery are going to be “recovery-centric.” This is simply because that is the world that an individual is going to be immersed in the most. Also, this is a good thing because it can help keep an individual connected to their recovery.
Often these relationships are made in the recovery center or treatment facility, in a recovery community, or during meetings. These relationships can be crucial to one’s recovery because they allow for an individual to relate to others that have similar shared experiences.
Many of these relationships can also grow into healthy long-term recovery relationships. Also, these relationships tend to transcend recovery and become some of the strongest bonds a person may ever experience.
What Do Healthy Social Relationships Look Like in Long-Term Recovery?
Of course, not all relationships post-treatment centers are going to involve recovery. Part of being recovered is getting back into everyday life and becoming fully functional in every capacity. This includes making healthy relationships, which in recovery may take some extra consideration.
It can be tempting for some people to reconnect with some facets of their old life after treatment. While not in every instance, this can lead to some precarious situations. This is especially true if these situations involve people who also live a lifestyle that includes the heavy use of alcohol or substances. It is important to always put one’s recovery first, and if connecting with old friends puts that in jeopardy, it is simply not worth it.
Healthy social relationships in recovery are going to be those that have a healthy respect for one’s recovery. No place is this respect more on display than in healthy recovery communities.
Maintaining Healthy Relationships in Long-Term Recovery to Help Avoid a Relapse
Being a member of a recovery community, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, SMART recovery, or recovery Dharma is one of the best ways to build healthy relationships in recovery. It is also one of the best ways to avoid a relapse in recovery.
Being part of a recovery community also gives people purpose when it comes to their recovery. This drive can make relationships significantly stronger. There is perhaps a better purpose for a relationship than helping someone with their recovery and ultimately saving their life. It also can help both individuals avoid a relapse. As is written in the primary text of 12-Step recovery (also known as the “Big Book”), “Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking [and using] as intensive work with other [people in recovery]. It works when other activities fail.”
Maintaining Relationships in Long-Term Recovery at Lantana Recovery
Here at Lantana Recovery, we are more than just a treatment center, we are a community. We are a community of people that come together with one primary purpose; to find recovery, and make relationships that will help others find recovery as well.
In recovery, we discover that life is about much more than “me, myself, and I.” It is about making a connection with others and changing both lives in the process. We must always remember that recovery is about the We, never the Me, and at Lantana Recovery, we are always here ready to help.
Many people are nervous about repairing and creating relationships in recovery, but doing so can be vital for success. However, it is important to remember that relationships can be one of the most triggering parts of recovery. This is why creating and maintaining healthy ones is crucial. Also, why eliminating toxic ones is crucial. If you feel like you or someone you love is struggling with addiction issues and can benefit from treatment, we can help get you on the positive path to long-term recovery. For more information on how to recognize toxic relationships and how to distance oneself from them, while also creating new healthy sober friendships in recovery, please reach out to Lantana Recovery today at (866) 997-2870.
