June 27, 2022
Living with a recovering addict can be challenging. Learn more about these obstacles and some tips on how to deal with these difficult situations.
Living with a recovering addict is a challenge that many families face daily. Life after rehabilitation is not always easy, especially for the patient. During this time, the patient will have to apply everything they have learned in rehab—coping strategies, routines, and self-care. They’re also prone to relapse, now that they’re back in the outside world.
Generally, the burden of ensuring the patient's continued recovery lies on the people helping them recover. This means their family, friends, or relatives living with the patient. The difficulty of recovery also affects the people tending to and caring for the patient.
If you are or will care for a recovering addict, here are some obstacles to expect, as well as some tips to help you amid difficult times.
Recovering addicts sometimes suffer from unstable emotions due to the demands of the recovery process. They might lash out in anger or deal with you passively. As the primary carer, the instability of the patient’s emotions must not affect you on a personal level. Knowing how to deal with a recovering addict can help you stay focused on things that matter.
Do not take their actions or words personally. If you put yourself in their shoes, recovery from addiction isn’t the best experience to endure. It’s a constant war of good and bad thoughts. When you start to feel that it’s too much, keeping your distance for a short while relieves the emotional stress you’re feeling.
Go out and see your friends. Tell your them about your challenges at home. Venting out can release the emotional stress that has accumulated. Then after you release all that pressure, you’ll feel lighter and better.
It can be hard to empathize with someone recovering from addiction when you don't understand it. This can make living with a recovering addict super stressful.
As the primary carer, you need to learn about addiction as well. It helps you understand the different recovery challenges and why you need to be extra patient with a recovering addict. There are a lot of addiction resources on the internet that explain the nature of addiction and the recovery process. With proper knowledge, you’ll know how to talk to a recovering addict without triggering emotions that might cause a relapse.
Your relationship with a recovering addict also affects your relationships with other people. Assuming care for a recovering relative or sibling is another mouth to feed if you have a family. It’s not just the financial aspect that will bother you. The emotional and psychological things will put your patience to the test. When you have a recovering addict at home, you have to be emotionally present to them.
You have to talk to them, ask about how their day went, give them advice, or encourage them to get better. The emotional baggage it brings is an added responsibility that you have to assume. Things will become heavier since you have to juggle personal and work responsibilities while having a clear mind.
Living with a recovering addict can be more difficult if you’re the one paying for the treatment. Addiction recovery treatments and medications aren’t cheap. Even with federal support, not all recovery-related expenses are covered. The cost of recovery is expensive, and it can cause misunderstandings and problems between the carer and the patient.
For the carer, if they don’t see any improvement, they might think they’re wasting money on someone who doesn’t want to get better. The burden of supporting treatments can lead to severed relationships. That’s why families or friends who will care for a recovering addict should assess if they’re willing to accept the ups and downs of assuming responsibility.
When things at work become hectic, and responsibilities at home accumulate, the primary carer tends to neglect self-care. The lack of self-care during challenging times is the number one cause of burnout. Caring for yourself is the best solution if you want to stay at your best disposition and provide emotional support to your recovering loved one.
Always remember that you cannot give emotional support if you feel empty and tired. Recovering addicts need all the help they need. You need to be emotionally available to them during difficult times. To recharge yourself, take a short vacation. Go to the spa and get a massage. Spend time with your significant other or family. In other words, do the things that make you feel happy and content.
When caring for a recovering addict, you must not lose your cool. If things get heated up, remember that you are the more able person in the room. A person recovering from addiction is prone to different kinds of emotions. Some are easily offended, while others pretend that everything is okay. If you ever feel that the patient is not cooperating, understanding their situation will help you realize that they are not having a good time.
Instead, showing your full support and being the bigger person will encourage them to be more open to you. Also, knowing the questions to ask a recovering addict will facilitate better communication between you and your loved one.
There might come a time when the recovering addict will experience extreme emotions and crises during recovery. It is during this time that you need to be there for them. If they are on the brink of relapse, giving your full support and setting aside judgment can help alleviate the emotions of your loved one.
Living with a recovering addict can be challenging. It requires a lot of patience and understanding. Without the proper mindset and commitment, carers will have difficulty giving support. If you think that your loved one is having difficulties in life after rehab, there are outpatient addiction treatment programs that can help them get back on track.
Another Chance is a leading drug and alcohol rehab center in Portland. Here, patients have access to a wide variety of addiction treatment programs, including partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient programs, counseling, and supportive housing.
If you or your loved one needs professional help with addiction recovery, Another Chance is here for you. Contact us at (971) 351-0914 or fill out our contact form to get started.
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