Addiction is a progressive and fatal disease that can be difficult to overcome. The road to recovery can be difficult for some, while others recover without issue. When it comes to couples that are addicted, it can be an especially difficult process, however, that doesn’t mean couples cannot recover together. There are those professionals who do not support couples addiction treatment, while others are finding success thanks to individualized and evidence-based programming.
The underlying psychological patterns that so often cause addiction are usually laid down during childhood traumas. The roots can include disorders such as depression, anxiety, unchecked rage, and personality maladaptations. It goes almost without saying that relationship difficulties and strife can also be caused by these same dynamics. Therefore, on a certain level, it does make sense to address both addiction and couples problems in the same safe therapeutic setting. If there is a group of the right therapists and patients, then great progress can be made towards mental health and recovery.
The Upside and Downside to Couples Addiction Treatment
Couples counseling, when it takes place in a setting of abstinence from all controlled substances and with the guidance of professional counselors, can conquer these issues and help put them permanently in the past. This could potentially save the marriage or relationship that has been jeopardized by substance abuse. The assistance of counselors is key. When a couple finds themselves navigating through recovery without a program of support, it will often happen that one addict will fall back into patterns of substance use while the other one is finding success going clean. This greatly increases the chances of a double relapse and adds a great weight of recrimination and responsibility to the already difficult situation. The couple’s individual issues and the way they work together as a team will probably have grown at least somewhat toxic during the process of addictive behavior, so it may not be an easy thing to untangle. Individual conventional behavioral therapy will be necessary as well, as it is essential to conquering the underlying reasons behind each person’s reason for using substances obsessively in the first place. Then a team of therapists must make clear how each addict’s behavior influences the other, creating the addictive team they have become. This gives the addictive couple the hope to live normal, happy, and productive lives, to be good parents and good family members. In order for this to become a reality, both people must be willing to humble themselves and go through the full program of couples recovery.
What to Expect in Therapy
Untangling the reasons behind addiction and investigating the problems with a relationship or marriage are no easy tasks by themselves. Taken together, they represent a great feat that requires deep willingness to get to the root of problems and test each person’s ability to feel great discomfort. Healing is no easy task. It requires each person to look inward and take responsibility for their own emotions, actions, and personal histories. The couples in couples rehab can expect uncomfortable questions, feelings of vulnerability, and emotional exposure. A deep level of trust has to exist in the relationship for therapy to even have a chance to work. If the relationship is without that trust in both individuals, then therapy will be useless. Without trust, no true emotional opening can occur. However, the rewards are also great. The addicted individuals can expect to feel great emotional relief after a successful session or series of sessions. If both people commit to giving the program 100% of their effort and thought, then they can confidently expect immediate improvements in the dynamics of addiction and their relationship. The only barriers that lie in the way of success are in the inability of one or both parties to confront their tumultuous inner landscapes.
Hard Decisions
The individual
addicts and their relationship as a whole must be assessed to see if it can remain viable. Both parties should decide if the relationship is worth saving. An addict being married to another addict can be a truly dangerous thing, especially when there are children involved. The couple should consider their children, their family, and the quality of love that they both feel in that relationship. If the relationship is lacking in any way that cannot be repaired, then the couple should do the responsible thing and separate. After all, it is much easier to get sober without another addict’s battle against substance abuse to influence and affect the situation. If there is no possibility of ending the relationship, then it is paramount that both people in the relationship give 100% of their effort to recovery. If they do not, then they face disaster, financial ruin, and possibly death. A solid commitment from both people to behavioral talk therapy and some sort of structured recovery program will mean that success is absolutely possible. There is a life after addiction, and therapy can get them there.
Although couples addiction therapy is seemingly overwhelming and may seem impossible, it is possible. With the right professional help and guidance, we can help you get through addiction together.
Contact us today to find out more information.
