When caught in the cycle of addiction, it can be difficult to break. For couples who use together and have made substance abuse a core part of their relationship, recovery becomes even more challenging.
Couples rehab is a treatment growing in popularity to help partners navigate recovery and get sober together. It provides couples with a structured space to break patterns of codependency, develop positive coping strategies together, and build a relationship made for long-term success.
How Addiction Affects and Is Reflected in Relationships
One of the most significant costs associated with addiction is relationships with friends, family, and romantic partners. Addiction often makes relationships hard to prioritize or can lead to dysfunction. The negative impact of addiction on relationships can include increased anxiety, trust issues, patterns of co-dependency, and, in some severe cases— conflict that reaches the level of domestic violence.
Someone struggling with addiction may be more likely to lie, manipulate, or hide their use from loved ones. Although the intention isn’t meant to hurt others, addiction can hijack their reasoning skills, ability to communicate effectively, and empathy levels. This can make their loved ones question their honesty, reliability and lead to a breakdown in trust.
Getting Over Addiction As A Couple
Couples rehab programs are uniquely designed to address the needs of couples (both married and unmarried). It focuses on the complex triggers that drive addiction in couples (co-dependency, stress in the home, navigating parenthood together, managing finances, etc).
Treatment plans will be designed around each partner’s individual and unified needs. Some of the recovery programs designed specifically for couples include:
- Detox for Couples is the first step of the journey to sobriety. This is often done individually. Each partner will have drugs or alcohol removed from their system so they can get stabilized and focus on building the skills for long-term recovery.
- Residential Rehab for Couples is a 30-to-90-day program that focuses on intensive treatments that help the couple break underlying patterns of behavior that influence their substance abuse. Throughout the course of treatment, they will learn what drives their addiction, and how to navigate relationship stress without turning to drugs and alcohol.
- Outpatient Rehab for Couples is a popular option for couples with other priorities, such as work, kids, or other family commitments. Outpatient treatment gives each partner more flexibility to build a treatment plan that aligns with their schedule.
- Aftercare Services may include ongoing couples therapy, family therapy, or support groups (both individual or designed for couples).
Couples’ Approach to Addiction Treatment
When treating addiction in a relationship, counselors will use a couple’s approach to treatment. This focuses on breaking cycles of codependency and providing them with the tools to support each other when faced with challenges or triggers.
Treatment will focus on their individual and unified needs as a couple. This may include building their self-esteem, setting boundaries, and minimizing self-destructive behaviors.
- Individual Treatment: Each partner will be involved in individual therapy, where they will be treated for underlying trauma, mental health problems, or triggers that drive the root of their addiction. Working with their counselor, each partner will develop a crisis plan in case of relapse or conflict.
- Unified Treatment: Couples will also have a treatment plan designed around their unique needs. They will attend couples therapy 2-3x a week during rehab. Here, they will learn effective communication skills, manage stress as a partnership, set boundaries, and cope with triggers that cause them to use together.
What Happens If Only One Person Wants to Recover?
When both members of the couple are committed to getting clean, treatment outcomes are more successful. If only one person wants to recover, this can cause a serious strain on the relationship. Couples can hold each other accountable during treatment and make unified goals that affect the rest of their family, the home, and even their finances.
If only one partner is committed to getting sober, they should go to rehab regardless of if their partner is willing to. It’s essential to focus on the individual healing journey, and with time, as your partner sees you are getting clean, this may motivate them to begin treatment. There is also the case that if your partner refuses to get clean or becomes a trigger for your substance use, it may be necessary to set strict boundaries with them until they accept help.
Couples should discuss how they feel about going to rehab together, making clear their fears, goals, and expectations during treatment. Open communication is essential for creating a solid foundation for recovery together.
What Comes After Addiction Treatment?
A crucial part of addiction treatment is setting up a plan for after you leave rehab. Individual aftercare plans include following up with outpatient therapy or medication management, utilizing the coping skills you learned in rehab, and attending support groups such as AA.
Couples will also have an aftercare plan tailored to their unique needs as a couple. This could include a network of emergency contacts for times their family is in crisis, continuing couples therapy, or attending meetings with other couples in recovery, such as Recovering Couples Anonymous.
Staying open and honest with your partner, participating in therapies, and choosing the right rehab program can influence the overall success of their experience. The long-term goal is to leave treatment with the strength to continue staying sober and a stronger relationship.
Couples Rehab in Los Angeles
At The Encino Recovery and Detox Center, we are committed to supporting all patients on their recovery journey. If you & your partner are seeking a rehab program designed for couples to heal the foundation of your relationship, our compassionate team is just a phone call away.
Sources
Romantic relationships and substance use in early adulthood: an examination of the influences of relationship type, partner substance use, and relationship quality. National Library of Medicine.
