Having a significant other while in recovery can be challenging for both of you individually and your relationship. Recovery demands all of your time, energy, and attention – which can make maintaining a relationship difficult. However, if your loved one is wanting to be with you throughout your journey, it’s important that they support you fully. Many studies have shown that social support is vital to a person’s success – this includes peers, mentors, family members, friends, and significant others. Often times, our significant others are the ones nearest and dearest to our heart, meaning that if your significant other isn’t being supportive of your recovery, you could be at major risk for relapse or dropping out of treatment altogether.
A 2017 study titled, “The In-Session and Long-Term Role of a Significant Other in Motivational Enhancement Therapy for Alcohol Use Disorders” discussed the role of language as a client determines their motivation for seeking treatment. Therapists can typically gauge a person’s sincere desire to work on recovery by the way they talk about it; with motivational enhancement therapy (MET), this is called “change talk”. Signs of change talk may include saying things like “I can see my substance use is causing problems in my life, and I think I’m ready to seek help” or “I want to move forward with treatment”.
The study’s ultimate goal was to determine just how much of an impact a client’s significant other had on their perceptions of recovery; results from the study showed that if a significant other supported their change, the chances of the client using change talk the very next session increased. If a significant other was against change, the chances of the person drinking more than average in a day also increased. This shows that what your partner says and thinks about your recovery truly does matter.
Consider your partner’s current attitudes towards your recovery. Are they supportive? Do they believe you can succeed? Are they willing to be there with you every step of the way? Recovery is in your best interests because it maximizes your chances at happiness, health, and overall well-being. If your partner isn’t for this, you may want to reconsider having them in your life – your happiness and health deserve to be top priority.
The Guest House Ocala specializes in the treatment of trauma, addictions, and related mental health issues. Clinical expertise, a compassionate team, and an outstanding attention to detail ensures each guest’s experience will be customized to their needs. Call us today for information on our residential treatment programs: 1-855-483-7800