Repairing Relationships Post-Treatment

Are you struggling to begin repairing relationships post-treatment? Men struggling with substance use disorder (SUD) may notice problems within their professional and personal relationships. Addiction impacts friends, family, and other loved ones. This impact may require you to repair some damage done to your relationships upon leaving treatment.

Repairing relationships may seem easier said than done, but time in treatment can help. While in treatment, the staff can work to teach you the skills needed to repair your relationships. That may include improving communication skills, making amends, and working on discussing addiction with loved ones. Learning these skills is a critical first step in repairing your relationships. 

How Addiction Impacts Our Relationships

Many of us spend so much time focused on how addiction impacts our lives that we forget how it affects our loved ones. For example, addiction can cause significant psychological harm to a family. Children can be affected emotionally and socially. Their ability to communicate and set healthy boundaries may also be affected. Distrust begins to arise, relationships break down, and healthy family dynamics may become corrupted. 

In such situations, family therapy can help by: 

• Educating family members about addiction 
• Increasing family support 
• Promoting healthy family dynamics 
• Creating positive changes within your family unit 
• Reducing the risk of relapse 

Similar to the effects of SUD on family relationships, many consequences may occur within personal and professional relationships. 

Untreated SUDs or behavioral addictions can cause us to act erratically. We may begin stealing to buy drugs and alcohol or lie to cover up our tracks. These unhealthy behaviors within personal and professional relationships can cause many rifts between people. Intimate relationships may end, and jobs can be put at risk. 

5 Tips to Begin Repairing Relationships Post-Treatment

Repairing relationships post-treatment can be a slow process for some. The people we hurt while influenced by our active addiction may be reluctant to reconnect with us. However, family, friends, and the people who genuinely love us will find it in their hearts to forgive. Nevertheless, a lot of hard work must go into repairing these relationships. It is not something that happens overnight or requires minimum effort. You must give it your all if you hope to make progress. Unfortunately, you may also need to accept that not everyone will want the relationship repaired. If this occurs, do not let complex feelings about this lead you down a road of relapse. 

Here are five things you can do to start repairing your relationships post-treatment: 

1. Stay sober: This is the first thing you should focus on. You can make all sorts of promises to the people you have hurt, but actions speak louder than words. Showing them that you are working to stay sober will show them how serious you are about your recovery. It will also show them how important repairing the relationship is to you.  
2. Work your way through each relationship: You can not expect to fix all your relationships at once. Give each person your undivided attention. Not only will it be easier on your recovery, but it will show them you care. 
3. Be patient: This process will require you to be patient. Earning trust back from a person takes time. It is not something you can expect or demand. People must be willing to trust you. No matter how long it takes, it will be worth it. 
4. Therapy: Consider going to couples or family therapy post-treatment. Speaking with a professional can help you with barriers and allow you to strengthen your relationships. 
5. Communicate: Practice your communication skills. Discussing addiction can be difficult. Treatment and therapy can teach practical communication tools that will help you talk to your loved ones about addiction. 

The Importance of Making Amends

Another vital thing to do when repairing relationships post-treatment is to make amends. Making amends is not just about apologizing or taking responsibility for the way we hurt people during active addiction. Making amends is also a healing process for us during our recovery. 

If you participate in a 12-Step program, you will notice that making amends is critical to the 12-Step journey. Step Nine is all about making direct amends to people you have harmed. Making amends is vital to the Twelve Steps and is invaluable to repairing your relationships post-treatment. 

Skills Necessary for Repairing Relationships

Repairing the damage to your relationships post-treatment is not solely about proper communication or technical skills. Making amends, showing genuine remorse, and the willingness to work hard at your recovery goes a long way. You can begin repairing the damage to your relationships post-treatment today. Discuss your goals with a therapist or counselor, work the steps, and make honest amends to start the process of repairing your relationships. 

Addiction wreaks havoc in every part of our lives. It places our physical and mental health at risk, causes us to act erratically, and leads to many problems. Addiction also has a profound impact on our relationships. It will hurt your family, significant others, and professional relationships. Thankfully, you can begin repairing relationships post-treatment. You can do this by making amends, staying sober, working on each relationship individually, attending family or couples therapy, and improving your communication skills. There may be instances where you think the people in your life will never forgive you, but those who genuinely love you will find it in their hearts to do so. For help repairing relationships, call Healing Pines Recovery at (720) 575-2621.