Dating is a tough game: You put yourself out there, hoping to find your match, the person you can spend the rest of your life with. Maintaining a relationship is difficult, but there are times when it gets even harder. One of those moments is when you’re calendar addict or former addict.
Dating someone who is addicted or addicted adds stress to a relationship, as you try to overcome the carousel of emotions, mainly related to their addiction. It’s not all bleak, but there are things to know about dating a recovering addict.
There is a third partner in your relationship: drugs
For an addict, drugs are everything, their main reason for living. Even when they stop and begin fighting their addiction, drugs will be present in your relationship. There will at all times be someone else between the two of you, even after you receive treatment from a specialised rehabilitation clinic. More than once you have had to accept that you’re second to your partner, after their addiction. Their success in their rehabilitation experience is at all times above all else and your relationship really depends on it. There are also ex-addicts who realize that their partner is now their rock, their everything and they can hang on to it when things get tough, rather than turning to drugs again. You just need to find out how to deal with situations on your own.
Trust issues
Dating often comes with trust issues at one point in time, but when you are dating a recovering addict, trust will become something of a taboo in your relationship. Even after they quit, you’ll feel the urge to check on them, to ensure they aren’t doing drugs again. This is human nature and has a lot to do with the undeniable fact that addicts are masters at lying and making excuses. Questioning your partner is at all times a double-sided sword, as they will resent you for doing it, particularly when they’re determined to leave the past behind.
Realistic expectations are part of the game
Dating a recovering addict also has some advantages and one of them is their realistic expectations of your past. Someone who made bad decisions in their own past will understand that anyone can make bad choices and that is okay, so long as they learn from them and make a resolution not to repeat them. Most addicts aren’t going to judge you for your habits, however odd they may be, and that is an enormous relief.
Therapy is something common
The recovery process is long and most addicts take a long time to receive therapy, according to the Suboxone Treatment Clinic. This means they’re open, honest, and prepared to work hard for what they want out of life. Receiving regular therapy can even help them stay grounded, so that every time your relationship is going through a rough patch, they can address the issues with their therapist and work things out.
