Addiction is a disease. That does not mean that a person is weak or self-centered. If you’re thinking about dating a recovering addict, make sure you will support them before you commit.
Addiction is loneliness. Addicts may lose the love and support of their friends, even their family. They may even lose confidence in themselves.
But this is the reason why Granite Mountain provides resources to help provide access to treatment for those who need it. We were created as a result of a group effort to improve the standard treatment experience. For our patients, our staff is a model of recovery, as a result, this is a duty that we take very seriously.
When To Begin Dating A Recovering Addict?
The first few months of addiction recovery are the most difficult. This is a period of big changes due to drug cravings, insomnia, and dealing with emotions. That’s why dating someone in recovery it’s a very challenging thing.
One of the most difficult aspects is actually to learn to feel emotions again and this includes the positive feeling of love.
We at Granite Mountain will provide to you or your loved one’s different ways to heal as family therapy or group therapy. This helps them to be more confident so they can start the process of healing quicker. If they begin dating too soon, they will choose someone who is emotionally less mature than they are.
The Risks Of Dating Too Soon
Recovering individuals learn to shut down their emotions or fall in love at the first opportunity. Dating a recovering addict needs a lot of patients.
You will always be more successful in a relationship with anyone, of course, if you know yourself well. Appreciate yourself and as a consequence, you will put your health and emotional well-being ahead of everything else. In this way, you can help your partner too.
Because our team is well aware of the various issues that patients may face, they address them through our programs. From intensive Outpatient (IOP) to women’s Rehab, all our patients will get the proper care.
Choosing Unhealthy Partners
People prefer partners who share their emotional maturity level. People in early recovery tend to choose the same type of partner they would have chosen if they were still using drugs.
This person, like the recovering person, is abusive or codependent in the beginning.
Women in early recovery frequently choose abusive men because they feel safe. This control becomes controlling or abusive. It’s never a good idea to dive headfirst into a new relationship, but it’s especially when dating someone in recovery.
As women gain confidence and emotional health in recovery, their self-esteem and confidence improve, and they begin to like themselves. Dating a recovering addict can save their lives if you gather all the necessary information in advance.
Replacing Drug Addiction With Love Addiction
Dating in recovery is difficult to work that necessitates a full-time commitment. Returning to normal daily life can be terrifying. When people stop using and immediately begin dating, they run the risk of seeking comfort in relationships rather than drugs.
In the early stage of recovering, love addiction may become a concern. Individuals who can’t have a relationship during their first year of the treatment are, in most cases, they go once again to their alcohol or drug addiction.
Common pitfalls of dating a recovering alcoholic in the early phase include:
- Pressuring a partner to enter into a relationship.
- Being desperate, as a result, believing that they cannot live without the other person.
- Still waiting to be rescued.
- Trying to repair the other.
- Telling too much too soon or not expressing any thoughts at all.
Advice On How To Begin A Healthy Relationship
Don’t Be Afraid To Question Yourself
Before dating a recovering alcoholic, evaluate yourself and what you can and cannot handle.
- Do you have the courage to date in recovery?
- Is your way of life suitable to date a recovering addict?
- Do you have the maturity to date a recovering addict?
If you answered yes to any of these questions,” you should think about starting the relationship.
Addiction is a real problem. Love isn’t enough to keep a relationship together when one person is in recovery from addiction.
As a result, no matter how you feel, if you realize this isn’t an environment you can handle, leave. It will be the best option for both you and the recovering person. Sometimes love is not an option in the early steps of the therapy. But an Individual Psychotherapy would be the key to this.
At Granite Mountain, we have decided to keep our community small. That’s why we place a high value on ensuring that each patient receives fully tailored care. Our employees are hand-picked for their experience, training, and dedication to our patients. We have everything that you or your loved one needs.
Inform Yourself About Addiction
Finding out that the person you’re dating is an addict, can be difficult for some people to understand. It’s probably not a good idea to date a recovering addict who hasn’t been sober for at least a year. Recovery is a very long process and dating in recovery it’s even harder.
To understand drug addiction, go to your local health services office, a library, or search the Internet. You can also attend support groups for families and friends of addicts in recovery. Attending these meetings allows you to get advice and support from others in similar situations. You can also learn more about addiction treatment.
Put Your Partner’s Recovery First
We understand that you can be afraid of dating someone in recovery, but it’s critical to keep a healthy perspective.
When you schedule dates, keep your partner in mind. For example, if he or she is still in the early stages of recovery, avoid places where drugs or alcohol are commonly found. Instead of going to a party, music festival, or a bar with your date, plan an outdoor activity or see a movie. People with drug addiction are fragile.
Don’t Use Substances Around Your Partner
Not using substances around your partner is part of putting his or her recovery first. This is especially true if the substance in question is one to which your partner is addicted.
If you are dating a recovering alcoholic, for example, you should not consume amounts of alcohol in front of him or her, therefore, you can’t go to clubs and parties.
Unfortunately, none of those things can be done, so your future partner and you will have to learn to live with his or her previous decision.
Don’t Jump To Conclusions
When dating a recovering addict, it’s natural you want to jump to conclusions, but be careful with that.
Just because they are late meeting you or do not answer the phone does not imply that they are high. Worrying or being anxious about the possibility of relapse will only strain trust. Starting with broken trust is a sure way to ruin it before it even gets started.
Set Some Ground Rules
When you begin dating a recovering addict, you must establish some ground rules for your relationship. For example:
- Is it okay with your partner if you go to some bar or a party without her or him?
- Do you have to make any kind of changes to your lifestyle?
- What are you going to do if a public place makes your partner feel uncomfortable?
Give Yourself Some Self-Care
When you’re dating a recovering addict, it’s easy to lose track of yourself, but don’t do that. This can be harmful to both your own and your partner’s health in the long run.
Dating a recovering addict means that you have to be a partner, not a mother who will do everything for them. In recovery, men and women learn a lot about not only remaining sober but also about living a happy, fulfilling life. They don’t need to be looked after; they’ve learned to look for themselves. Alcohol and drug addiction require understanding and a lot of will to move forward.
At Granite Mountain, We Can Help Couples Navigate Addiction Recovery
If you are dating someone in recovery, be honest with her or him, educate yourself, and seek advice to ensure that this relationship is right for both of you.
Dating someone in recovery, like any other relationship, will require some adjustments and compromises.
We are a group of people who believe in psychological treatment. What sets us apart and makes us a special place to be is our commitment to developing new solutions to addiction, fostering a community of true connection, and to all of our community members.
Our purpose is to help you to start from scratch and love can make that happen. You’ll have your ups and downs, just like any other relationship, but dating someone in recovery can give you a whole new perspective on life that you might not have seen otherwise if you weren’t prepared to open up and take a chance.
Schedule a tour of our facilities to experience for yourself what makes Granite Mountain so special. Please contact our staff today and we are going to help you to rebuild your life.
References
https://www.drugrehab.us/news/what-you-need-to-know-to-date-a-recovering-addict/
