How to Tell the Person You’re Dating About Your Recovery
It’s not recommended that you begin dating until you have at least one year of sobriety under your belt, since it takes time to become confident in your recovery. Once you’re ready to jump back into the dating pool, one important factor to consider will be how to share your recovery story with your partner.
Sharing Your Recovery Journey
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to sharing your recovery journey. Some people have no problem being 100% open from the beginning, while others prefer to protect their privacy. Trust your instincts, then use these tips from the staff at Waypoint Recovery Center’s South Carolina drug and alcohol addiction treatment program to guide the conversation.
Addiction doesn’t discriminate. People of all ages, races, genders, and socioeconomic statuses struggle with substance abuse. This includes individuals who work in the healthcare industry.
Having a spouse, parent, adult child, or other loved one who suffers from an addiction to drugs or alcohol is not easy. You hate to watch the person you care about struggle, but your efforts to help can do more harm than good when you end up enabling substance abuse.
When you are struggling with cravings, it is important to realize that thoughts of substance abuse do not have to lead to actions. Reaching out to a sponsor or distracting yourself with a fun activity are two of the most commonly recommended tactics for dealing with cravings. Urge surfing, a type of mindfulness meditation, is another strategy you may also wish to try.
The recovery journey is full of ups and downs. If you’ve relapsed, you may be worried about what the future holds. However, this doesn’t mean that you’re not cut out for a sober life. There’s always hope for recovery—as long as you remain committed to getting the addiction treatment you need.
