The Impact of Relationship Stress on Addiction Recovery
Addiction recovery can be a long and challenging journey. Doing it on your own is difficult, which is why it’s often important to have the right people in your corner throughout recovery.
But, for as much as relationships can build you up during addiction recovery, they can also make things more challenging.
If you’re in a relationship that’s causing extra stress or turmoil in your life, it can create additional obstacles on your road to recovery. Understanding what relationship stress looks like, how it can impact your recovery, and what you can do to keep moving forward are essential steps when you’re trying to overcome addiction.
What Is Relationship Stress?
Every relationship is bound to have a little stress. No couple is perfect, no matter how supportive and communicative you both might be. “Normal” stress shouldn’t have much of an impact as you try to recover.
However, if stress within your relationship feels overwhelming, it could be doing more harm than good for your recovery.
Relationship stress refers to chronic tension between a couple. It could stem from a variety of factors. Everything from financial issues to communication problems can cause extreme stress. Unfortunately, when you’re already dealing with the stress of addiction recovery, these problems can often feel heightened.
The Impact of Stress
There are countless factors that can influence addiction. However, stress can trigger relapses and make it more difficult to stay focused on recovery. Negative emotions resulting from the stress of a relationship might make you turn toward a substance to find a moment of comfort or peace.
Stress from a relationship can also trigger addiction, to begin with. If you’re on the road to recovery and haven’t been able to pinpoint what caused you to start abusing certain substances, it might be time to look at your connection with your partner.
A Prepared Partner
Every road to addiction recovery is different. Some people have multiple relapses. Others follow different self-care routines along the way. When you’re in a relationship, both you and your partner have to be aware that recovery can be unpredictable.
With that in mind, your partner needs to share your goals as it relates to recovery. That includes addressing any underlying issues in your relationship that could be causing stress and hindering your recovery process.
What Can You Do?
Communication is key when it comes to dealing with relationship stress. You should be able to express your needs, wants, and concerns with your partner, and you both need to be active listeners.
That doesn’t mean you have to take on every issue causing stress at once. Commit to taking baby steps together to address underlying issues causing stress in your relationship. You might be surprised by how much better you feel by getting things out in the open, little by little.
Additionally, remember that you’re on the same team. Addiction recovery is never easy, and there might be instances in which you or your partner say or do things you don’t mean. Remember that they want what’s best for you, and remind them that you’re putting in all the effort you can. These reminders will encourage you to work together every step of the way.
Finally, don’t feel like you have to tackle these issues on your own.
If relationship stress is taking a toll on your addiction recovery, consider reaching out for professional help. Therapy can help you get to the root of your relationship issues. You’ll learn how to communicate more effectively, express your needs, and work through issues in healthy, effective ways. Having your partner in your corner is essential, so if you’re ready to start fighting back against relationship stress, contact me today.
