In order to repair relationships in recovery you may first need to deal with common aspect of the recovery process and confront your feelings of shame from the past. Guilt can be particularly overwhelming when they consider how their substance use disorder or other addiction has affected their relationship with loved ones.
It may seem impossible to rebuild what has been broken. Perhaps you believe your situation is unrepairable because of past actions or because too much time has passed. Regardless of the circumstances, repairing these relationships is possible.
Have Patience
Your relationship likely wasn’t damaged overnight but most likely eroded over time. But the good news is over time, you will be able to rebuild trust. Patience is key. It will be necessary to make amends authentically, own them, and live up to them. It’s not enough to simply say “sorry” (especially if that’s something your loved one has heard before). Your actions can, however, restore trust. It is more important to keep doing what is right, regardless of whether your loved one’s response is positive or not.
Ultimately, that’s where patience enters the picture. It is impossible to predict how long a family member’s healing process will take, and everyone’s process is different. Depending on the individual, some may forgive immediately, while others may take a while to forgive. For example, a person may want to observe your behavior over time to see how you’ve changed. The important thing is to continue to prioritize your sobriety, stay hopeful, be honest, and work at establishing your trustworthiness.
Intentionally Live your Life
It takes work to build a good relationship. It is even more important to make an effort when the connection is fractured. Family members can find resources to heal those wounds and need to recover themselves, but it won’t happen overnight.
Building trust requires being open and honest with your loved ones about your struggles and establishing boundaries that don’t burden them.
When you take an intentional approach, you need to listen without judgment or try to justify your efforts. It is crucial to acknowledge their feelings to assure them they can always talk to you about their hurts and frustrations. You’re not going to get everything right all the time, but your loved ones should feel like they can approach you with any concerns along the way if they have any.
Be Present
There is a lot of time involved in active addiction. Investing time and resources into recovery is also necessary. Quality time is critical when it comes to relationships, especially with those relationships you may need to repair. Remember that this is part of the healing process, even when bumps in the road happen. There’s even a possibility that you’ll be able to discuss something you’ve never had the opportunity to discuss openly before during this time together.
Aiming for the Future with Hope
As with your recovery journey, relationships can (and often do!) improve with effort and understanding. So even if you are fearful, there is a chance, if you work at it, that you can live a life of freedom and meaning in recovery with your loved ones and repair your relationships in recovery.
Call today!
We are ready to help your family begin its journey to recovery. Please call anytime at 866-856-0801 .
Contact us for more information about how Windhaven House can help you achieve and maintain lasting sobriety. Call 866-856-0801 or send us a message now.
