It can be a family member or your other half, but living with someone suffering from addiction is extremely difficult. You can sometimes feel overwhelmed as you go about your day trying to walk on eggshells through the subject of addiction. However, you don’t have to live in fear of setting off an emotional trigger or in some way influencing them to abuse again. As long as you follow a few simple guidelines, you should have all the tools you need to have a happy and healthy household relationship with your loved one.
Things to Remember when Living with Someone Who Has a Substance Abuse Problem
After going through the rigors of rehab and the initial therapy to get the substance out of their system, the only thing that remains is to prevent relapse. This can be difficult, especially if your loved one suffered from alcohol addiction, as this type of substance abuse is more common and easily obtained.
Familiarizing yourself with the underlying causes of addiction and understanding the techniques associated with addiction therapy can be very useful. The main thing to take away is to reduce their stress in any way you can.
Supporting a sober lifestyle is another key element. Try to create a safe atmosphere that contains no trace of their former substance abuse lifestyle. This is really easy to do because it simply involves being mindful around the house. It’s easy to have parties at someone else’s house or warn the person ahead of time that people are coming over and might bring alcohol.
The only other thing you can do is listen and look out for warning signs of substance abuse relapse. These usually include romanticizing past abuse experiences or sudden changes in their routine.
If you suspect your loved one is on the verge of relapsing or have already relapsed, you should talk to them about the problem then seek the help of a professional if necessary.
Helping Them Avoid Substance Abuse Relapse
These tips may seem simple, but they go a long way to help keep your loved one stay on the path of sobriety. The number one cause of relapse is stress and the signs of a pending breakdown are pretty obvious when you see changes in mood and routine. The best thing you can do is keep a positive attitude, banish all reminders of their substance abuse past from the house, and reduce the amount of stress in their life.