Addiction Treatment | Health Articles | What You Can Do to Support a Spouse in Addiction Recovery

If you have a spouse who is involved in addiction recovery, then you must find a variety of ways to support your loved one. The process of going through treatment for drug or alcohol addiction is stressful in a physical and mental way, so your spouse is more likely to have success with numerous types of help. Here are some of the ways that you can make a spouse’s recovery a smoother process.

Learn More about the Addiction and Recovery Process

Researchers are learning new things about addiction and recovery on a daily basis. While addiction has mental causes from anger issues or depression, there are also physical reasons why people are more prone to addictive behaviors. You can learn more about addiction and recovery by reading books from the public library or by reading scientific studies online.

Understand that the Relationship with a Spouse Will Change

When your spouse is recovering from an addiction, the process will change the person’s outlook on life. This will affect your relationship in a variety of ways. Your spouse may need a lifestyle change that includes staying away from anyone who drinks alcohol or uses drugs, and this can mean giving up some of your friends. You will likely need to change your lifestyle too so that your spouse isn’t exposed to any temptations to use addictive substances again.

Get Involved in the Professional Therapy Process

The best place for recovery from addiction is an inpatient residential careprogram that will last for several months, and you will likely need to visit multiple times to attend the facility’s family support group meetings. These therapeutic sessions are helpful for your entire family’s well-being, helping to repair the issues that are troubling everyone.

Learning How to Forgive Each Other

An important part of the process of recovery is making amends with each other. You may need to forgive a spouse who made bad choices that have harmed you and your children. The process of total forgiveness isn’t easy in some circumstances, but it is necessary to save your marriage along with helping your spouse to remain sober.

Last, make sure to praise your spouse for the steps that she or he is taking to overcome an addiction. Remember that your spouse may feel guilty about past behavior along with spending a lot of time away from your family. Make sure to praise your spouse in person, over the telephone or in emails to help with the recovery process.