He designed the Roadmap for the Journey workshop for couples and the Couples and Addiction Recovery training for professionals. Dr. Navarra maintains a private practice in San Carlos, CA. This is going to surprise a lot of people, and may not necessarily be well-received in some corners. However, something was developing during that time that surprised me.
Let us help you find the right rehab for your family’s needs. It can take time to recover your marriage during the recovery process, but support is available. Professional treatment can help you and your partner cope with the negative effects of substance use. It’s recommended that the supportive partner seeks their own support during the recovery process. You may consider individual therapy or a peer-led support program like Al-Anon.
Make Marriage a Beneficial Part of Your Path to Sobriety
When your partner comes home from rehab, you’ll probably be filled with hope and excitement for their sobriety. However, it’s unrealistic to believe that they will return home “fixed” and everything will be normal, just without substance abuse. You may be enabling your spouse if you make sacrifices on your own life in order to protect their safety, reputation or substance use.
- I knew AA had a higher success rate ending marriages than it did keeping its members sober.
- Avoid saying things like, “Why can’t you just stop?
Avoid saying things like, “Why can’t you just stop? ” or “This is your fault.” Your partner may become defensive instead of opening up and sharing their thoughts. It’s best to talk to them calmly and ask if they would like to share something about their journey. It has been nearly one year since his last drink. Yet it has been 11 years since I have truly felt safe, since I have truly felt loved. We have our moments—great moments—and they are getting better, they are getting more frequent, but it is still work.
Diazepam Addiction: Signs, Symptoms, & Treatment
Usually, this means that there are few consequences for addiction and its related behaviors. The two of you may have once had a good time together when alcohol and drugs are involved, but now marriage changes after sobriety things have gotten out of hand. Or maybe you don’t use drugs or alcohol and never understood the depths of your partner’s substance abuse. Either way, addiction negatively impacts marriage.
It is extremely important to us that you receive the highest quality medical care from our qualified staff during your stay. Working through the trauma of addiction will most likely require help from a professional. Seek couples counseling to learn communication strategies, address underlying issues in the relationship, and begin to heal your marriage.
Tips For Successful Marriage After Sobriety
For example, you might make excuses for why your spouse doesn’t attend social events when the reality is that they were too drunk or hungover to make it to the party. You might pay their bills instead of paying your own because they can’t keep a job. You might go to work late or miss work because you are attending to their needs after a night or drinking or drug use. It brings other problems into the marriage that wouldn’t be there otherwise.
It means waiting well without getting frustrated. This is because the road to sobriety can be long and hard. For others, it takes a lifetime of continuous support, guidance, and conscious choice to abstain from alcohol. Success is not overnight, so it takes patience from the recovering adult and the supportive partner. Couples therapy is beneficial, especially in a challenging time such as this. Studies show that couples therapy can effectively help couples in distress.