COUPLES DRUG AND ALCOHOL REHAB - SPECIALIZED AFTER CARE FOR COUPLES IN RECOVERY
What happens for couples in recovery after couples drug or alcohol rehab?
Albert Einstein said, “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” There are those couples who successfully complete drug or alcohol treatment together, feel good in their clean bodies, confident in their sobriety, and conclude that their problems are over. However, this is dangerous thinking. Returning to life as it was, after fulfilling rehab in a residential facility, is almost certain to result in relapse for one or both of the partners. Instead, major changes have to happen.
While you and your loved one were both in treatment together, your specialists would have started couples’ therapy for you, along with addiction therapy. Your counselors probably introduced you to the 12 Step Program, and developed a plan for how to maintain sobriety upon your return home. Going through substance abuse treatment is only the first step in recovery. Unfortunately, the fact is that a considerable number of addicts relapse after a brief period of abstinence, and addicted couples are at a particularly high risk because if one relapses, the pressure on the other increases, and he or she is at higher risk to succumb to relapse as well. It is very difficult to stay strong when your partner is struggling, and their resolve has weakened. Therefore, at Moffitt Wellness Retreat, we place a significant value on keeping the couple motivated by helping them develop new life skills to replace the attraction to the drug (or alcohol), guide them to find a stronger resolve for recovery, as well as discover new interests, talents, possibilities and ways to spend their time separately, and as devoted partners.
Removing drugs or alcohol from the relationship changes it drastically. Of course the goal all along was to get clean and sober together. However, by the time you leave treatment, the dynamics have been altered dramatically, and the couple needs to recognize the importance of continuing counseling or therapy together in order to learn how to relate to each other in a different way. How you communicate may actually feel foreign, which means it takes time and patience to adjust to this new way of life as a couple. Roles within the partnership need to be redefined, and your counselor will help you identify and coping strategies for the responsibilities or instances that previously added stress and were “reasons” to drink or use.
Another aspect of sobriety for recovering couples that the counselor is sure to recommend is changing who the couple socializes with in order to avoid situations in which it would be easy to relapse. Those you used to “party” with will not understand your new conviction to live healthier and substance free. Your therapist will also emphasize finding new ways to spend time together or with your family that perpetuates the healthy lifestyle and can help prevent falling back into destructive habits.
What are the options for Aftercare that your counselor may consider?
There are a number of options for Aftercare for a couple:
- Counseling Sessions - perhaps the most crucial for couples who completed drug rehab or treatment together. Marriage Counseling, Couples’ Therapy, Family Counseling, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
- Twelve Step Groups – probably the most well-known aftercare option.
- Dual Diagnosis Support- for those who have co-occurring disorders.
- Education on Codependency
Your counselor or therapist will discuss them with you to put together a customized roadmap of sorts for you and your loved one. If you have questions, please ask your counselor, or you may call us to find out more information as well.
The road to recovery starts in rehab, but continues for the rest of your lives. The work that you do individually is critical to being able to succeed in sobriety as a couple. However, recovering couples have a built in advantage: they have a support system in their partner, someone who can relate to the challenges in maintaining a life without drugs or alcohol better than anyone else you know.
“Bad times, hard times. This is what people keep saying. But let us live well and time shall be good. We are the time. Such as we are, such are the times.” – Saint Augustine
Summary
We have focused our efforts to provide a luxury rehab center that is proud of its reputation for providing outstanding couples therapy that addresses all aspects of recovery, whether physical, psychological, emotional, or spiritual. Experience has taught us that only through a dedicated and correctly integrated process, can your road to recovery be truly successful.
If you and your loved one are searching for freedom from addiction or simply need guidance in discovering the benefits and importance of healthy living, now is the time to start your path towards healing at Moffitt Wellness Retreat.
Call us now for a complimentary and confidential consultation to begin your wellness journey together, today! 1.713.907.5632
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