Without alcohol addiction treatment, alcoholism can have lasting and damaging effects on you and those who are closest to you. Alcoholism is a disease that impacts every area of your life– not only can it damage your health, destroy your finances and derail your career plans, but it can also be devastating to your personal relationships. Fortunately, alcohol addiction treatment can help you overcome a dependence on alcohol and turn your life around. With time and effort, you can rebuild trust with the important people in your life and repair these damaged relationships. Let’s take a look at some of the ways that alcohol addiction treatment can improve your relationships.

Alcohol Addiction Treatment and Healthy Relationships

The Cost of Alcohol Addiction

It’s no surprise that alcoholism and other types of substance addiction can wreak havoc on relationships. People struggling with addiction tend to exhibit many negative behaviors, such as stealing, lying, lashing out in anger and being unfaithful to their partners. Over time, the job losses and other financial disasters that often accompany addiction can cause resentment. Family members and spouses often feel distrust and anger when they’re dealing with an addict, and these feelings can put a real strain on relationships.

Repairing Relationships When Recovering from Alcoholism

Once you’ve completed rehab for substance abuse, you’ll probably be eager to work on your personal relationships; however, it’s important to be patient and keep your expectations in check. When trust has been broken in a relationship, it takes time to heal the damage and show your loved ones how much you’ve changed. You can’t expect things to return to normal the minute you leave the substance abuse treatment center–repairing relationships is a slow and gradual process.

In 12-step programs and other addiction support groups, a key part of “working the steps” involves taking stock of the damage that has been done to your relationships and making amends with the people you have hurt. It can be hard to navigate this difficult process on your own, so it may be helpful to work with a therapist or counselor as you attempt to rebuild your relationships.

Alcohol Addiction is a Family Disease

Although the hard work of recovering from alcohol abuse and mending broken relationships begins with the addicted person, spouses, and other family members also need to make an effort. There’s a reason addiction is called a “family disease”–it affects all the important people in an addicted person’s life. Many alcohol addiction programs include family therapy in their treatment plans. In family therapy sessions, the loved ones of an addicted person learn more about the nature of alcoholism and other forms of addiction. They learn about the best ways to treat addiction and support their loved one during recovery. Some people even choose to continue family therapy long after they complete alcohol addiction rehab.

Find Alcohol Addiction Treatment

If alcoholism has damaged some of your most valued relationships, don’t lose hope. With the right treatment, you can conquer your dependence on alcohol and begin a new, sober lifestyle. It will take some effort from all parties involved, but it is possible to re-establish trust and open the lines of communication between you and your loved ones. Broken relationships can be repaired, and mutual respect and affection can be restored.