How Can I Support My Partner Through Recovery?

As you watch your loved one go through the hardships of addiction, you will likely experience many strong emotions. While you want to support your partner, watching their journey can be stressful.

It can be difficult to determine how to support your partner through this journey. The following guidelines can help.

Educate Yourself

The first step in supporting your partner through recovery is to educate yourself on addiction and recovery. For example, did you know addiction is a brain disease?

You can increase your understanding by reading books and blogs by qualified treatment centers. Additionally, you can attend support groups with or without your partner and speak with a therapist during couples therapy.

Utilizing these resources can help you to further your knowledge of the recovery process. Along the way, you will learn how to better support your significant other. You will also likely increase your patience as you learn that recovery truly is a life-long journey. This means that your partner will need your continued support. By educating yourself, you can be more understanding with your partner.

Be There for Your Partner

Being there for your partner during their recovery is critical. This means being present, listening to them, and providing emotional support.

It’s important to avoid placing blame or being critical of your partner. These actions only make the recovery process more difficult.

Instead, focus on being a positive influence. Help your partner stay motivated and focused on their recovery goals. Encourage your partner to attend support groups, therapy, and other recovery-related activities that can provide additional support and encouragement. This can help them build a well-rounded structure around sobriety.

Engage in Couples Therapy

Couples therapy can be an extremely helpful tool for both partners in recovery. As you meet with a therapist at Dream Recovery, you and your partner can gain the skills to effectively communicate and understand each other’s ever-changing needs.

Therapy can also help you identify any negative patterns in your relationship. You can work together to develop a plan to support each other in recovery, rather than reinforcing those negative patterns. This can include setting boundaries, learning to communicate openly and honestly, and finding ways to cope with stress. Allow yourselves to work on improving your relationship and supporting each other through recovery.

Set Boundaries with Your Partner

Setting healthy boundaries is extremely important when one partner is in recovery and one is not. This can include boundaries around substance use, spending time with people who are not supportive of the recovery process, and other behaviors that may trigger a relapse. It’s important to have open and honest discussions with your partner about what is and is not acceptable. Additionally, it’s important to have a plan in place for how to handle relapse.

This ensures that both partners are on the same page and engage in healthy communication patterns. Discussing these boundaries can be difficult for many couples. Fortunately, doing this under therapeutic supervision may help this conversation to flow more smoothly. It is important to overcome this barrier to ensure each individual in the relationship feels supported and respected.

Celebrate Small Victories

Recovery can be a slow and difficult process. To avoid losing motivation, it is important to celebrate the small victories along the way. Not only are these milestones for your partner to celebrate, but you as well.

Small victories can include things like your partner making it to a support group, staying sober for a certain length of time, or making progress in a therapy session. By acknowledging their progress and celebrating their victories, you can help your partner stay motivated.

Practice Self-Care

While it’s important to focus on supporting your partner through recovery, it is equally, if not more important to take care of yourself. This includes engaging in healthy behaviors and routines. Make sure you are eating well and sleeping well. Additionally, take time for yourself and engage in activities that you enjoy. This allows you to fulfill your needs.

When your needs are met, you then have the capabilities to support your partner. Engaging in self-care allows you to provide the best support possible for your partner during their recovery.

Be Patient with Your Partner

Recovery is ultimately a life-long process. It is important to be patient and understanding with your partner, especially through the initial stages of recovery.

If they have a bad day or a relapse, they may experience strong emotions. By not placing blame or being critical, you avoid further decreasing their motivation. Instead, support them in creating a relapse prevention plan to move forward with. Be there for them even when their progress seems to be moving at a slow pace. Remember that recovery is a journey and that setbacks are a normal part of this journey.

Supporting your significant other through the journey of recovery can be extremely difficult. You will likely feel high levels of frustration, halting your ability to support them. By utilizing these techniques, you can help your partner overcome addiction and build a stronger and healthier relationship. Take action for each of these steps and put them into practice. Doing these actions consistently can show your partner how much you truly care. They can help you maintain a high level of mutual support through any hardships you encounter during your partner’s recovery journey. To learn more about supporting a loved one in recovery, reach out to Dream Recovery today by calling (657) 216-7218.