Relationships.
Let’s say you are a couple.
You love each other and value one another.
One of you ends up with an addiction and becomes dependent on a substance.
It tears them apart and dismantles who they once were.
That person that you fell in love with is gone.
All you are left with is an empty relationship, basically completely deteriorated;
looking nothing like it use to and there is not a lot of hope in your heart when it comes to the prospect of finding him or her once again.
*You are sad, and feel lost. What can you do to get this person back?
*Is it a fruitless effort?
*Are you hurting or helping? Where should you turn?
*Who is this person that you use to know?
*Should you take it personally?
*Can you be of any help?
*Is this person who you love going to be this manipulative shell of deceit and self-absorption permanently?
These are the types of questions that ran through my husband’s head and made his heart ache leading up to the days where I smashed into my rock bottom face first, and throughout my first two years of Recovery.
This is the type of confusion that he dealt with and had to learn how to navigate through.
My addiction did have a profound affect on him, and although I was far too busy focusing on my recovery to empathize or inquire at the time–
in the succeeding years post active addiction— he has revealed so much to me about HIS journey riding on the crazy coattails of my recovery.
While I was abstaining, detoxing, hurting, learning, growing, and changing-
He was going through his own change and was navigating a new path himself.
I am going to share that with you guys now.
As a side-note or a disclaimer of sorts:
As a professional I would never support or recommend that a person in Recovery start/begin/consider a new romantic relationship.
It is not a healthy choice to make.
In the event of entering recovery as a married person or as a person who is already committed to a long-term relationship, I would definitely set certain boundaries and limits with both parties on a case-by-case basis. Everyone involved would be learning and would need to be counseled on some level.
Every life, recovery and circumstance is completely different. What worked for us, may not be something that will work for another couple who is struggling with getting through Addiction-TOGETHER.
What does inspire HOPE is knowing that there are other people who have made it through some of the most exhausting and trying times, and have come out the other end—
strong and CRAZY in love with the new people that we have transformed into throughout our journey together and individually.
So take what you can from it and leave the rest.
Thank you for reading and I hope that we can inspire you to keep working and loving.
