Sometimes addiction provides us with a circle of people to spend time with, but they’re not necessarily what’s best for us. They may stick around when we’re up for partying – but quickly fade away from the scene once sobriety is sought.
One of the more challenging aspects of recovery is learning to let go of people who are no longer benefiting our mental, physical, and spiritual health.
Identify Toxic Relationships
Many people in recovery look back to their past and realize that the people they surrounded themselves with – the ones they used to rely on from day to day – actually no longer serve them in healthy ways. The relationships they formed in the past were likely one of the following toxic relationships:
- Codependent relationships: These relationships form when partners come to believe that love, security, and acceptance are based on taking care of the other person with little regard for their own needs. In these relationships, it’s common for a negative cycle to begin where one person constantly places their own desires and needs on the back burner while they take care of the other person.
- Enabling relationships: Before treatment, people often seek out relationships with those who allow their substance abuse to occur. This person may have intentionally or unintentionally allowed it to happen, but it did not help your sobriety.
Sometimes it’s hard to tell that these types of relationships are even taking place. We often don’t realize that a relationship is unhealthy until we’re out of it.
Recognize Healthy Relationships
Those who are in healthy relationships are able to trust the other person – there is open communication, and both are allowed to express their opinions even if one person disagrees with the other.
Take a moment to assess the relationships you’ve previously held. Would you consider them healthy based on the communication, power dynamic, or trust that was involved? People in recovery often say they didn’t have these types of relationships, and that was part of what perpetuated the problem.
New Relationships Are Waiting
If you’re ready to seek help and build a new support system, speak to a professional from Alta Loma today.
There are countless recovery programs out there, but to truly achieve long-term sobriety, it’s essential to find a facility that resonates with you. Alta Loma is here to be that place. Constant access to medical professionals, addiction specialists, and a supportive community can go a long way in rebuilding your confidence and establishing healthy habits. Call us today at (866) 457-3843.
